No 13769, Monday 23 Jan 2023, Dr. X

Solution to 21D 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   Kick in crotch? That is awful (8) RICOCHET {CROTCH+IE}*

5   Game of chance after bachelor's extremely drunk (6) BLOTTO {LOTTO}<=>{B}

10 Gathering of witches in cavern at end of Halloween (5) COVEN {COVE}{h...eN}

11 Canoodling with a star in opening when husband's away (6,3) MAKING OUT {M{A}KING}OUTh}

12 Distributed special protein bars, over 500 (9) PORTIONED {PORTI{O}NE*}{D}

13 Crushed by runout, really shocking (5) OUTRE [T]

14 Immature desire to get hold of joint increases (6) WIDENS {WI{DEN}Sh}

15 A canoe floating around island in Pacific region (7) OCEANIA {A+CANOE}* over {I}

18 Bad-tempered woman's fury overwhelming students at college (7) HELLCAT {HE{LL}{C}AT}

20 Dropping good equipment, scowl and utter explosively (3,3) RIP OUT {RIg}{POUT}

22 Close after introducing new surgical bypass tube (5) SHUNT {SHU{N}T}

24 Love energy after consuming very strong drug (9) AFFECTION {A{FF}{E}CTION}

25 India's opener on zero - absorbing start to Test, man's nervous (2,1,6) IN A DITHER {In..a}{NADI{Test}{HE}R}

26 First off, warn about hot volatile liquid (5) ETHER {dET{H}ER}

27 Cry of huntsmen is so icky, barbaric (6) YOICKS*

28 Becomes uneasy as rebellious teens drink (6,2) TENSES UP {TEENS*}{SUP}

DOWN

1   Method is perfect to smuggle ecstasy and cocaine (6) RECIPE {R{E}{C}IPE}

2   Model in club finished back massage and left (5,4) COVER GIRL {C}{OVER}{RIG<=}{L}

3   Cheat playing cricket fined for deception (10,5) CONFIDENCE TRICK {CON}{CRICKET+FINED}*

4   Animals crushed by pachyderm in estate (7) ERMINES [T]

6   Make money dishonestly from fake old pennies in ornamental cases (4,4,7) LINE ONES POCKETS {O+PENNIES}* in{LOCKETS}

7   Swimmer is tense, starting to overexert in channel (5) TROUT {T}{R{Ov...t}UT}

8   Where yoga practitioner might be seen being reprimanded (2,3,3) ON THE MAT [DD]

9   Most willingly, child enters snowmobile (6) SKIDOO {S{KID}OOn}

16 Nurses in hospital involved in treatment of neurosis (9) NOURISHES {NOURIS{H}ES*}

17 Many impatient to have sex in the unmarried state (8) CHASTITY {C}{HAST{IT}Y}

19 Kitschy painting reviewed and withdrawn (6) TRASHY {ART<=}{SHY}

20 Adjudicate about liberal tackling intolerance at Centre (7) REFEREE {RE}{F{i...lEr...e}REE}

21 Dishonest boy escapes punishment for trick (6) ?N?R?P (Addendum - ENTRAP {bENT}{RAP} - See comments)

23 Extract of kokum, a mildly savoury taste (5) UMAMI [T]

Reference List

Bachelor = B, Husband = H, 500 = D, Over = O, island = I, Student = L, College = C, Good = G, New = N, Very strong = FF, Drug = E, Hot = H, Drink = SUP, Old = O, Tense = T, Hospital = H, Many = C, Sex = IT, About = RE, Boy = B