No 13639, Friday 19 Aug 2022, Dr. X

Artwork by Prasanna

Rangoli by Gowri

RULES FOR POSTING COMMENTS ON FRIDAYS ONLY

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PLEASE NOTE, SOLUTIONS WITHOUT ATTEMPTING THE ANNOTATIONS WILL BE DELETED

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ACROSS

1   Man shot around noon in English city (8) COVENTRY {COVE}{N}{TRY}

5   Steamer filled with synthetic garments (6) SMOCKS {S{MOCK}S}

10 Drink knocked back by old man in Russian city (5) MUROM {RUM<=}{O}{M}

11 Bachelor exiting villa with a babe, possibly unattached (9) AVAILABLE {VILLA+A+bABE}*

12 Most slimy European player regarded as posing a serious threat (6,3) DANGER MAN {DANk}{GERMAN}

13 Cheeky boy framing hot poster of attractive person (3-2) PIN-UP{P{IN}UP}

14 Reckless plan to catch slippery cad (6) MADCAP {MA{CAD*}P}

15 Touches with desire in brief interlude (7) REACHES {RE{ACHE}St}

18 Separate, keeping tiny amount of money and ring (7) RESOUND {RE{SOU}ND}

20 Woman set out plates (6) SHEETS {SHE}{SET*}

22 Spies about to steal extremely sophisticated device to detect submarines (5) ASDIC {CIA<=} over {So...eD}

24 Scared to clash with firm wife, one immune to criticism (6,3) SACRED COW {SCARED*}{CO}{W}

25 Pass the summer in a manor, cuddling diva heartily (9) AESTIVATE {A}{EST{dIVa}ATE}

26 Learning to catch barramundi finally in river (5) LOIRE {LO{b...dI}RE}

27 Standard of ginseng cultivated, not good (6) ENSIGN GENSINg*

28 Poorest in shelter about to perish after onset of epidemic (8) NEEDIEST {N{Ep...c}{DIE}EST}

DOWN

1   Attractive date for lady providing light entertainment (6) COMEDY COME{-l+d)DY

2   Voodoo leader sprinted, possessed by spirit going around galleries (9) VERANDAHS {Vo...o}{E{RAN}DAHS<=}

3   Calculating how many are chewing noisily? (6,9) NUMBER CRUNCHING {NUMBER}{CRUNCHING}

4   Wander around Germany with most accurate travel guide (4,3) ROAD MAP {ROA{D}M}{APt}

6   Emir sleeps with a lady slyly? I will not tell anyone (2,4,3,6) MY LIPS ARE SEALED {EMIR+SLEEPS+A+LADY}*

7   Murderer throttling baron in chalet (5) CABIN {CA{B}IN}

8   Foolish husband enthralled by escort shaking hips (8) SHEEPISH {S{H}EE}{HIPS*}

9   Batsman nervously taking stance (6) MANNER [T]

16 Male cutting heretic, a barbaric offence motivated by prejudice (4,5) HATE CRIME {M} in {HERETIC+A}*

17 Wonder about right feed for large primate (5,3) GREAT APE {G{R}{EAT}APE}

19 Dark face masks, small and medium (6) DISMAL {DI{S}{M}AL}

20 Bury a stolen crate slyly in spot (7) SECRETE {SE{CRaTE*}E}

21 Most affected by heartless wife during trial (6) TWEEST {T{WifE}EST}

23 Cleans stallion up outside entrance to stable (5) DUSTS {DU{St...e}TS<=}

Reference List

Noon = N, Steamer = SS, Old = O, Man = M, Bachelor = B, Hot = IN, Firm = CO, Good = G, Date = D, Lady = L, Germany = D, Baron = B, Husband = H, Male = M, Right = R, Small = S, Medium = M