No 13740, Monday 19 Dec 2022, Afterdark

Margazhi Day 4 Rangoli by Gowri

Solution to 28A 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

8   In the middle, a man (good man) is holding a demonstration primarily (6) AMIDST {A}{M}{1}{De...n}{ST}

9   Triumphant one, British had penetrated east and north (8) UNBEATEN {UN}{B}{E}{ATE}{N}

10 Transport. Limo? No, a rickshaw in the front broken down (8) MONORAIL {LIMO+NO+A+Ri...w}*

11 Daughter sitting near fireplace at valley (6) DINGLE {D}{INGLE}

12 Say, SKY broadcast time (8) AIRSPACE {AIR}{SPACE} Semi&lit

13 Maintain a stretch in the heart of England East (6) ALLEGE {A}{engLand}{LEG}{E}

14 Two men taking test after first person's wrong (7) IMMORAL {MM}{ORAL}<=>{1}

17 After perfect instructions initially, managed to regularly heat fish (7) PIRANHA {Pe...t}{In...s}{RAN}{HeAt}

20 Withdraw soldiers; everyone after beginning of clash (6) RECALL {RE} and {Cl..h}<=>{ALL}

22 Terrible guilt dumping girl friend at the end (8) ULTIMATE {gUILT*}{MATE}

25 Heartlessly at first called aged lady heartless (6) COLDLY {Ca...d}{OLD}{LadY}

26 Hurry, show ending early, check with the English (8) EXPEDITE {EXPo}{EDIT}{E}

27 Identical females dancing behind square (8) SELFSAME {FEMALES}*<=>{S}

28 Starts to jump a position and get pieces of garments (6) S?A?F? (Addendum - SCARFS SCAR(-e+f)FS - See comments)

DOWN

1   Blocked path distributing mobile sim giving one (8) EMBOLISM {MOBILE+SiM}*

2   Horrible cricket match with ball against America (6) ODIOUS {ODI}{O}{US}

3   Layers of roads one put tar (mostly) on (6) STRATA {ST}{R}{A}{TAr}

4   Boy takes girl's coin to become construction worker (7) BUILDER (-g+b)BUILDER

5   A shoot at hotel using artificial intelligence to cover Belgium's capital (3,5) ABU DHABI {A}{BUD}{H}{A{Be...m}I}

6   Plant orders login to enter Musk's (chief) group (8) MAGNOLIA {Musk}{A{LOGIN*}A}

7   Teja's leg is hurting, lacking energy, feeling tired after travel (3,3) JET LAG {TEJA+LeG}*

15 Working with old females sometimes (2,3,3) ON AND OFF {ON}{AND}{O}{FF}

16 Back street in valley, wayfarer trapped (8) ALLEYWAY [T]

18 South females, two to begin with composed and good looking (3,5) HOT STUFF {SOUTH+F+F+Two}*

19 In bed, European guy got startled and gave an astonished look (3-4) BUG-EYED {B{E}{GUY*}ED}

21 Hugs & kisses in European Commission, alien facing a missile (6) EXOCET {E{XO}C}{ET}

23 Office worker is tipsy, drunk with some tequila (6) TYPIST {TIPSY*}{Te...a}

24 Mean press at north (6) MEDIAN {MEDIA}{N}

Reference List

Man = M, Good man = ST, One = UN, British = B, East = E, North = N, Daughter = D, Soldiers = RE(Royal Engineers), Girl = G, English = E, Road = ST or R, Boy = B, Hotel = H, Artificial Intelligence = AI, Group = AA(Alcoholics Anonymous), Energy = E, Old = O, Female =F, Hugs and Kisses = XO, Alien = ET, North = N