No 13676, Monday 03 Oct 2022, Arden

Solution to 16A has been deliberately left unsolved and is to be answered only by a non-regular / novice commenter, with proper annotation. Those who have answered earlier in the week, please give others a chance.

ACROSS

9   Opening with men providing some cool stuff (7) ORIFICE {OR}{IF}{ICE}

10 Falls again, shot by artillerymen (7) NIAGARA {AGAIN}*{RA}

11 New one, back on track (7) NASCENT {AN<=}{SCENT}

12 Police respect staff (7) SCEPTRE*

13 Better actor including one who can take charge (9) CAPACITOR {CAP}{AC{1}TOR}

15 Every year the one inside goes missing, cancel (5) ANNUL ANNUaL

16 Strange, midway it becomes obvious (7) S?L?E?T (Addendum - SALIENT {S{ALIEN}T} - See comments)

19 No items become wet (7) MOISTEN*

20 European computer expert's right inside (5) GREEK {G{R}EEK}

21 A racket to grab kidney's hormone (9) ADRENALIN {A}{D{RENAL}IN}

25 Named as strange followers of Bacchus (7) MAENADS*

26 "Listen, listen surreptitiously" Spooner on big squeeze (4,3) BEAR HUG (~hear bug to bear hug)

28 Chemical split over time (7) REAGENT {RE{AGE}NT}

29 Plant you initially planted in English county (7) SPURREY {S{Pl...d}URREY} What's the role of you?

DOWN

1   Charlie able to raise a toast with this (6) COGNAC {C}{CAN GO<=} Semi&lit

2   Associates drink after match (4,2) TIES UP {SUP}<=>{TIE}

3   Day an American President built a wall (4) DIKE {D}{IKE}

4   Group found IT offensive in Vietnam (6) SEXTET {SEX}{TET}

5   A worry with never ending capital (8) ANGSTROM {ANGST}{ROMe}

6   Doctor on trial for accepting card that is cut (10) LACERATION {ON+TRIAL}* over {ACE}

7   Drill sergeant's rant about time wasted (8) MARTINET {RANT+TIME}*

8   Go perhaps and chart a strategy (4,4) GAME PLAN {GAME}{PLAN}

14 Stop teams playing after one wins (10) CHECKMATES {CHECK}{TEAMS*} Semi&lit

16 Story over Indian chief (8) SAGAMORE {SAGA}{MORE}

17 Vassal knelt perhaps gentlemanlike (8) LIEGEMAN {LIEGEMAN+KNELT}*=GENTLEMANLIKE [CA]

18 Crosses junction, trains travelling south (8) TRANSITS {T}{TRAINS*}{S}

22 Upset about bad start but strong (6) ROBUST {RO{Bad}UST}

23 Place to make a hole right through (6) LAHORE {A+HOLE+R}*

24 Name a painter in Japan (6) NAGOYA {N}{A}{GOYA}

27 Plant producing a drink (4) ARUM {A}{RUM}

Reference List

Men = OR, Artillerymen = RA, Computer expert = GEEK, Right = R, Charlie = C, Day = D, IT = SEX, Junction = T, South = S, Name = N