No 13771, Wednesday 25 Jan 2023, Dr. X

Solution to 16D 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   Frightening offence by husband wanting money (8) SINISTER {SIN}{mISTER}

5   Wife enthralled by grass is simpering in retreat (6) MISSIS [T<=]

10 Old characters in secret romance (5) RETRO [T]

11 Look trendy, extremely casual and wildly hot in one-piece garment (9) LOINCLOTH {LO}{IN}{Ca..aL}{HOT*}

12 Rushed back to serenade princess in Asian city (9) NARSINGDI {RAN<=}{SING}{DI}

13 Person who observes poor rodent dropping dead (5) NOTER ROdENT*

14 Trouble in European capital after Left topples Right (6) PLAGUE P(-r+l)LAGUE

15 Revolutionary experience in ravine leaves fellow elated (7) GLEEFUL {G{FEEL<=}ULf}

18 Knife in alcove beside round bag (7) BAYONET {BAY}{O}{NET}

20 Insensibility of rebellious degenerates drinking at university (6) STUPOR {ST{UP}OR<=}

22 Fights hard from start to finish (5) TIFFS (-s)TIFF(+s)S

24 Protecting female seen tottering in bar (9) DEFENSIVE {F+SEEN}* in{DIVE}

25 Person starts to cry, horrified by insane rat race (9) CHARACTER {Cry}{Ho...d}{RAT+RACE}*

26 Angered by one revolutionary abducting king (5) IRKED {1}{R{K}ED}

27 Finished reviewing absorbing chapter on principle of Enigma cipher (6) ENCODE {DO{C}NE<=}{En...a}

28 Embraced and undid lace, frantically releasing clasp at centre (8) INCLUDED {UNDID+LaCE}*

DOWN

1   Runs limited by turn and good bounce (6) SPRING {SP{R}IN}{G}

2   Absolutely sozzled nut going around a jamboree (9) NATURALLY {N{A}TU*}{RALLY}

3   Revealing plans when son and his girl fight over nothing (7,4,4) SHOWING ONES HAND {WHEN+SON+AND+HIS+G}* over {0}

4   Finally compose revolutionary work, inspired by idea for pastoral poem (7) ECLOGUE {c...sE}{CL{GO<=}UE}

6   Minor artfully nails it with queen capturing rook (15) INCONSEQUENTIAL {NAILS+IT+QUEEN}* over {CON}

7   Play piano in class (5) SPORT {S{P}ORT}

8   Small ball-shaped object in treatment of heel spur (8) SPHERULE*

9   Injured nilgai is suffering (6) AILING*

16 Fine lap dance finally in bar - made merry (9) F?O?I?K?D (Addendum - FROLICKED {F}{RO{LICK}{d..cE}D} -  See comments)

17 Check new sob story about Cleopatra at launch (8) OBSTACLE {SOB*}{TA{Cl...a}LE}

19 Lawyer shot outside, close to comatose until now (2,4) TO DATE {TO{DA}T}{c...sE}

20 Small, slight model wanting shade (7) SAFFRON {S}{AFFRONt}

21 Bonded with liberal director enthralled by marijuana (6) WELDED {WE{L}{D}ED}

23 Head of family managed club in Swiss capital (5) FRANC {Fa...y}{RAN}{C}

Reference List

Money = M, Look = LO, Trendy = IN, Princess = DI, Dead = D, Right = R, Left = L, Fellow = F, University = UP, Female = F, King = K, Chapter = C, Runs = R, Good = G, Girl = G, Rook = CON, Piano = P, Fine = F, Lawyer = DA, Shot = TOT, Model = T, Liberal = L, Director = D, Club = C