No 13690, Thursday 20 Oct 2022, Dr. X

Solution to 19D 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

1   Daring but reactionary, without virtue (8) TEMERITY {TE{MERIT}Y<=}

5   British youngsters wielding oriental knives (6)  BLADES {B}{LAD{E}S}

10 One making an effort to ensnare good girl in trip (7) TRIGGER {TRI{G}{G}ER}

11 Egg white and bun - meal's served (7) ALBUMEN*

12 Goalie injured, taking prolonged rest (3-2) LIE-IN [T]

13 Resolution to destroy primarily unscrupulous nationalist in contest (9) ENDURANCE {END}{Un...s}{RA{N}CE}

14 Restless person ignoring wife cheats around, reflecting weak character (7,5) ROLLING STONE {wRO{ILL<=}NGS}{TONE}

18 Fiercely blast employee essentially fomenting trouble (5,3,4) TOOTH AND NAIL {TOOT}{HAND}{f..eNt..g}{AIL}

21 Fool mixing rum, gin and soda finally knocked out (9) IGNORAMUS {RUM+GIN+SOdA}

23 Caught with miss, getting intimate (5) CLOSE {C}{LOSE}

24 List one condition primarily relating to the intestines (7) ENTERIC {ENTER}{1}{Co...n}

25 Fumes from drain (7) EXHAUST [DD]

26 Brood about hard religious instruction in Jewish month (6) TISHRI {SIT<=}{H}{RI}

27 Fall after consuming drink with associate in Bulgarian capital (8) STOTINKA {S{TOT}INK}{A} 

DOWN

1   Gossip in story about couple of models (6) TATTLE {TA{T}{T}LE}

2   Distress concealed by most simple American novelist (6) MAILER {M{AIL}ERe}

3   Groans miserably, eating Scottish sweetheart's hot dish of curried meat (5,4) ROGAN JOSH  {ROGAN{JO'S*}{H}

4   Short story by Agatha Christie in the incredible novel enthrals many (5,5,4) THREE BLIND MICE  {THE+INCREDIBLE}* over {M}

6   Heave with a bit of rattle in type of pneumonia (5) LOBAR {LOB}{A}{Ra...e} Semi&lit

7   Control darling after party (8) DOMINION {MINION}<=>{DO}

8   Coalesced under heat perhaps in desert (8) SINTERED*

9   What paraglider hopes to do in the end to have good luck (4,2,4,4) LAND ON ONES FEET {DD]

15 Irritation after wicket's snared by crap, unorthodox shot (6-3) SWITCH-HIT {ITCH}<=>{W} in {SHIT}

16 Most serious-minded son seeks help to crack examination (8) STAIDEST {S}{T{AID}EST}

17 Alludes to criminals stifling witness (8) CONNOTES {CON{NOTE}S}

19 Cheat bites ball! Pakistan's captain removed in row (6) ?O?U?N (Addendum - COLUMN {CO{LUMp}N)

20 Where one might sleep with a girl (6) BERTHA {BERTH}{A}

22 More unusual neuroma essentially in back, recurrent (5) RARER {neuRoma} in {REAR<=}

Reference List

British = B, Oriental = E, Good = G, Girl = G, Nationalist = N, Wife = W, Blast = TOOT, Caught= C, Hard = H, Religious instruction = RI, Associate = A, Model = T, Scottish sweetheart = JO, Hot = H, Many = M, Wicket = W, Son = S