No 13748, Wednesday 28 Dec 2022, Hypatia

Rangoli by Gowri

Solution to 26D 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   Look into soft clothing (5) PROBE {P}{ROBE}

4   Basically, cleft horribly altering surface materially! (5) CHASM Acrostic Semi&lit

11 Natural disaster upsets UN - a million buried (7) TSUNAMI [T]

12 Had inspiring scripture in battle (7) AGITATE {A{GITA}TE}

13 Dodge woman without a date (5) EVADE {EV{AD}E}

14 Small mistake reversed while entering below to submit (9) SURRENDER {S}{U{ERR<=}NDER}

15 Start to throw loads in bleach used for linen (10) TABLECLOTH {Th..w} with {LOT} in {BLEACH*}

17 Heads of democracy are ignored sadly in stage (4) DAIS Acrostic

19 What essentially follows party in port (4) DOHA {wHAt}<=>{DO}

21 Label serum test at first before blood grouping (10) STEREOTYPE {Se..m}{Test}{ERE}{O TYPE}

25 Spooner’s stupid and crazy parents (3,3,3) MUM AND DAD (~dum and mad to mumand mad)

27 Start to halve idle working capital (5) DELHI {Ha..e+IDLE}*

28 She's again in cast making movies at last (7) ACTRESS {ACT{RE}S*}{m...eS} Semi&lit

29 Somewhat cute 'n' silly gadget (7) UTENSIL [T]

30 Attempts to provide time for fine cooks (5) FRIES (-t+f)FRIES

31 NASA vague about Armstrong’s first position (5) ASANA {AS{Ar...g}NA*}

DOWN

2   Reading centre blocked by local trash (7) RHUBARB {R}{HU{BAR}B}

3   Support permit for handcuff? (8) BRACELET {BRACE}{LET}

5   One free to run behind little horned animal (6) HEIFER [1+FREE}*<=>{Ho...d}

6   Awfully hard and sad Hindu ceremony for the departed (7) SRADDHA {HARD+SAD}*

7   Leaving most obese fellow to testify (6) ATTEST fATTEST

8   Ali's left fighting and participates in Tang Ping, say (4,4) LIES FLAT*

9   Say Mira's new song (4) NAIR {N}{AIR}

10 Model tries mobile game (6) TETRIS {T}{TRIES*}

16 Beat hawk getting angry (5,3) TIRED OUT {TIRED}{OUT} (Addendum - {T{IRED}OUT} - See comments)

18 One joins clothes for men (8) SOLDIERS {SOLD{1}ERS}

19 Lower member of faculty taking author up (6) DEMEAN {D{ME<=}EAN}

20 Grisham's terrified about little animal (7) HAMSTER [T]

22 Former leader represented in style (7) YELTSIN*

23 Fit for having to wait around the French (6) EDIBLE {BIDE<=}{LE}

24 A couple of nights with old sweetheart creates attachment (6) ANNEXE {A}{NN}{EX}{swEet}

26 Hope to lose weight to date someone good-looking (4) D?S? (Addendum - DISH (-w+d)DISH - See comments)

Reference List

Soft = P, Date = D, Small = S, Party = DO, Again = RE, Time = T, Fine = T, Reading = R, Fellow = F, New = N, Model = T, The in French = LE, Night = N, Weight = W, Date = D