No 13724, Wednesday 30 Nov 2022, Hypatia

Solution to 8D 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   Almost succeed in relaxing old BCCI regulations (excluding one) (5,3,2,5) CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR {O+BCCI+REGULATiONS}*

10 Grates for pickles (7) SCRAPES [DD]

11 Attempt to adopt elderly Devdas, for one (7) TRAGEDY {TR{AGED}Y}

12 Erstwhile British PM's sick after assembly (9) CHURCHILL {ILL}<=>{CHURCH}

14 Recall I've read about organ (5) LIVER [T]

17 Legendary being secure like setters (7) PEGASUS {PEG}{AS}{US}

19 Spooner disqualified filthy place for champion (5,2) STAND BY (~ banned sty to stand by)

21 Back America and free country (5) SUDAN {US<=}{AND*}

23 Criminal in bar had drunk with liberal author (5,4) ROALD DAHL {RO{AL}D}{HAD*}{L}

25 Make enchilada without essentially flat spiny creature (7) ECHIDNA ENCHIlaDA*

27 Batter, reportedly first person behind model's husband! (7) EYELASH {(~i)EYE}{LAS(-t+h)H}

30 Less sensitive to go through cold and conservative lady's accountants, say (6,9) NUMBER CRUNCHERS {NUMBER}{C}{RUN}{C}{HERS}

DOWN

1   Winners run out of contests (4) ACES rACES

2   Gent keeping spectacles to fix (4) MOOR {M{OO}R}

3   Nags man softly blocking kisses (8) HENPECKS {HE}{N{P}ECKS}

4   Fresh milk used before finishing breakfast dish (6) MUESLI {MILk+USEd}*

5   Plants where spirits may reside? (8) INSTILLS {IN STILLS}

6   Son climbing above edges slowly to scribble (6) SCRAWL (+s)SCRAWL(-s)

7   Monster starts to open ghastly red eyes (4) OGRE Acrostic

8   Row in fine stream (4) ?R?Y (Addendum - FRAY  {F}{RAY} - See comments)

12 Heads of many monkeys (5) CAPES {C}{APES}

13 Pushed drug travelling around East (5) URGED {URG{E}D*}

15 Somewhat weak doves raising spirit (5) VODKA [T<=]

16 Currency including yen in den from South (5) RIYAL {RI{Y}AL<=}

18 Starting to shoot, crazy chap ran to village chieftain (8) SARPANCH {Sh..t}{CHAP+RAN}*

20 Public hearing (8) AUDIENCE [DD]

22 Agreed to take up study drinking rum (6) NODDED {N{ODD}ED<=}

24 Regularly deflect return serve at line (6) AVENUE {rEtUrN+sErVe+At}<=

25 Running between players for ages (4) EONS {E}{ON}{S}

26 Song that guy heard (4) HYMN (~him)

28 Fired fellow deleted sent message (4) AXED fAXED

29 Mass entertainer (4) HOST [DD]

Reference List

Old = O, Criminal = AL(Capone), Liberal = L, Model = T, Husband = H, Cold = C, Conservative = C, Run = R, Spectacles = OO, Softly = P, Son = S, Many = C, East = E, Yen = Y, Players = E,s(East and South in card game Bridge), Fellow = F