No 13692, Saturday 22 Oct 2022, WrdPlougher

ACROSS

8   Licence, one that isn't used to operate a steering wheel? (4,4) FREE HAND {FREE}{HAND}

9   Set by primarily high-quality setter (6) HARDEN {Hi...y}{ARDEN}

10 Short popular commercial, the same ending off-note (10) INADEQUATE {IN}{AD}{EQUATE} (Addendum {IN}{AD}{EQUAl}{TE} - See comments)

11 Listens in secret, in return, catches (4) NETS [T<=]

12 An artist, with paint, drawing essentially bright celebration? (6) DIWALI {D{paInt}{draWing}ALI}

14 Runners before rascals, according to Spooner (8) CREEPERS (~ pre curs to creepers)

15 Dumplings made by decisively frying beaten potato chunks cooked hot, Italian primarily (7) GNOCCHI {f...nG}{b...eN}{p...tO}{Ch...s}{Co...d}{Hot}{It...n}

17 One of two loudmouths on a soapbox chair? (7) SPEAKER [DD?]

20 Believing in truth, almost overcoming original sin, almost complete (8) TRUSTFUL {TRU{Sin}Th}{FULl}

22 Defeat virulent gout, returning numb halfway (6) OUTGUN {GOUT*}{NUmb<=}

24 Wise men taking refuge in imagination (4) MAGI [T]

25 Snitch caught finally, essentially Potter swallowing a quaffle, vomiting drink — story! (10) TATTLETALE {c...hT}{poTTer} over {A}  and {quaffLE}{TALE}

27 Not ok to watch boring impact winter sport (6) SLALOM {SLA{LOok}M}

28 Abruptly leave organisation leaderless, leading to crisis (8) EXIGENCY {EXIt}{aGENCY}

DOWN

1   Ancient inscription concealed inside, reportedly by South-Asian sultanate (6) BRUNEI {RUNE} in {(~by)BI}

2   Shoot second target (4) SEND {S}{END}

3   Conquer, disappear, abducting queen (8) VANQUISH {VAN{QU}ISH}

4   Progress of car between two periods (7) ADVANCE {AD}{VAN}{CE}

5   Appropriate way to greet first lady after president's term (6) THIEVE {Term}{HI}{EVE}

6   Complain about changing plans, after some time, relocate... (10) TRANSPLANT {RAN{PLANS*}T}<=>{Time}

7   ... abroad, e-refer going over books on the house? (4-4) RENT-FREE {E REFER}* over {NT}

13 Popular drink, full of calories, that is regurgitated all over ship barrel (10) ACCESSIBLE {A{CC}{I{SS}E<=}{B}LE}

16 Aggrieved, disunited, mourn friend as per custom (8) NORMALLY {MOuRN}*{ALLY}

18 Broadcast expert opinion (8) PROCLAIM {PRO}{CLAIM}

19 Dissect female snake (7) SLITHER {SLIT}{HER}

21 "City in Portugal," notes mother (6) FATIMA {FA}{TI}{MA}

23 Open cut hair? (6) UNLOCK {UN LOCK}

26 Those people mainly sitting over the border? (4) THEM {sitTing}{HEM}

Reference List

Popular = IN, Commercial = AD, Note = TE, Second = S, Queen = QU, Period = AD, CE, Time = T, Books = NT(New Testament), Calorie = C, Ship = SS, Barrel = B, United = U, Notes = FA, TI