No 13789, Wednesday 15 Feb 2023, Lightning

Solution to 24D 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   Daily assistants missing one party game (8) CHARADES {CHAR}{AiDES}

5   At home, friend becomes criminal (6) INMATE {IN}{MATE}

9   Receptive and clever - so be it to move ahead (8) AMENABLE {ABLE}<=>{AMEN}

10 Curse one tipsy Hollywood actor (6) CRUISE {CURSE+1}*

12 Provide final purpose when saint departs (5) ENDUE {END}{UsE}

13 Trench map drawn incorrectly on stiff paper (9) PARCHMENT*

14 Part of nation restraining universal liberty perhaps (6) STATUE {STAT{U}E}

16 A stone one turned in country (7) ESTONIA {A+STONE+1}*

19 California tale about one unit (7) CALORIE {CA}{LOR{1}E}

21 Excitement of fellow, one taking oath, initially lacking energy (6) FURORE {F}{jUROR}{E}

23 Not good to invent side game (9) BADMINTON {BAD}{MINT}{ON}

25 Society cannot be deficient (5) SCANT {S}{CANT}

26 Hook newscaster (6) ANCHOR [DD]

27 Thwart top performer sending back horse (8) STALLION {STALL}{NO 1<=}

28 Hold ups of more than 48 hours around eastern lake (6) DELAYS {D{E}{L}AYS}

29 Red scene needs to be redesigned for broadcast (8) SCREENED*

DOWN

1   Talk about the French cabin (6) CHALET {CHA{LE}T}

2   Unreliable engineer located a neutron (9) ANECDOTAL {LOCATED+A+N}*

3   Having knowledge of a type of pottery (5) AWARE {A}{WARE}

4   It could be a solar or lunar shadow (7) ECLIPSE [CD]

6   Short rant about a guiding light (5,4) NORTH STAR*

7   Accept a proposal by engineer (5) ABIDE {A}{BID}{E}

8   Leave nut to disintegrate after a period of time (8) EVENTUAL*

11 Charge about right? No charge! (4) FREE {F{R}EE}

15 Make a mistake - it can break conservative region (9) TERRITORY {T{ERR}{IT}ORY}

17 Account managed in retrospect with allowance (9) NARRATION {RAN<=}{RATION}

18 Bad crabs dispersed in protective cover (8) SCABBARD*

20 Steak cut, minced for food (4) EATS STEAk*

21 Passionate supporter, highly excited, lacking resistance covers area (7) FANATIC {FrAN{A}TIC} 

22 These days, accepting stress, made amends (6) ATONED {A{TONE}D}

24 Sticker that is patterned back to front (5) D?C?L (Addendum - DECAL LACED<= - See comments)

25 Comfort left in rescue (5) SALVE {SA{L}VE}

Reference List

Daily = CHAR, At home = IN, Saint = S, Universal = U, Fellow = F, Energy = E, Society = S, Eastern = E, Lake = L, The in Frenceh = LE, Neutron = N, Engineer = e, Right = R, Resistance = R, Area = A, These days = AD, Left = L