No 13791, Friday 17 Feb 2023, Afterdark

RULES FOR POSTING COMMENTS ON FRIDAYS ONLY

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ACROSS

1   Say, water store closing early, backing away after a small struggle with henchmen (11) LIQUIDATORS {LIQUID} and {STORe}* after {A} Anno not clear

9   Imitates cast (4,3) ACTS OUT {CAST}* [RA]

10 Goal - when hungry, have meat without starters and become a gobbler (7) GLUTTON {GoaL}{mUTTON}

11 Our neighbour's home initially was at a swamp (5) MARSH {MARS}{Home}

12 Being on line not even strangely gratifying (9) ENNOBLING {BEING+ON+LiNe}

13 Before reading bad clue causes issue (5) ULCER {R}<=>{CLUE*}

15  Marine gains fare if transported (9) SEAFARING*

18 Debate on return gift; getting tricycle offline for a change (9) DIALECTIC {AID<=}{TrICyCLE}* Line = RY and then delete. Not fair.

21 A debauched man kidnaps girl, rascal (5) ROGUE {RO{G}UE}

22 Cries pathetically, losing energy with picture slightly marred inside in fight (9) SCRIMMAGE {CRIeS*}{iM{Ma...d}AGE} Something wrong here. How is I deleted?

24 Not getting Ola going west? Have  meat (5) BACON {NO}{CAB}<=

26 Sri Lanka caught in criminal usage of marine creature (3,4) SEA SLUG {SL} in {USAGE*}

27 Tape men celebrating a nick, say (3,4) PET NAME*

28 Thought of a leading batsman's second pull (11) ABSTRACTION {A}{Ba...n}{S}{TRACTION}

DOWN

1   Say fertiliser page has design (4,5) LEAF MOULD {LEAF}{MOULD}

2   Country's queen at a rally, in the front (5) QATAR {Q}{AT}{A}{Ra..y}

3   Arab club earlier got a locomotive (4,5) IRON HORSE {HORSE}<=>{IRON}

4   Unblemished woman sacked for being honest (7) ARTLESS wARTLESS

5   Fabric is, say, hand zari 50% (7) ORGANZA {ORGAN}{ZAri}

6   Explosions at square, unearthed indigenous bomb at the entrance (5) SQUIB {SQ}{Un...d}{In...s}{Bomb} Definition is incorrect

7   Remarkable ruler going after strait right at the beginning of Indonesia... (8) STRIKING {KING}<=>{ST}{R}{In...a}

8   ...secure weapons, take them back (4) SNUG<=

14 Swiss pilot is president (8) CHAIRMAN {CH}{AIRMAN}

16 Gymnastic Bill meeting Robert at a college (9) ACROBATIC {AC}{ROB}{AT}{1}{C}

17 Vegetable is raw means, chop at both ends and boil first placing inside (5,4) GREEN BEAN {GREEN}{mEANs} over {Boil}

19 Police weapon on rent, odd gears (4,3) TEAR GAS {TEAR}{GeArS}

20 More disturbing if I leave the plant (7) CREEPER CREEPiER

22 Infer there is small trouble firing the female (4) SUSS {S}{fUSS}

23 Pound a setter to go to the front and get a dessert (5) MELBA {LB}{A}<=>{ME}

25 Animal like cat originally has grain with independence (5) COATI {Cat}{OAT}{I}

Reference List

Reading = R, Line = RY, Girl = G, Energy = E, Sri Lanka = SL, Second = S, Queen = Q, Club = IRON(Golf), Woman = W, Square = SQ, Strait = ST, Right = R, Swiss = CH(LIcence plates), Bill = AC, College = C, Small = S, Female = F, Pound = LB, Independence = I