No 13813, Wednesday 15 Mar 2023, Vidwan

Solution to 22A 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   Novel - extremely scoundrelly and full of gossips (5) NEWSY {NEW}{Sc...lY}

4   Angry 'hot' song used for targeting (9) CROSSHAIR {CROSS}{H}{AIR}

9   Cultivator initially comes for work to an unknown retailing establishment (7) GROCERY {GRO(-w+c)CER}{Y}

10 Boy quietly left, one not secure or enduring (7) ETERNAL {pETER}{NAiL}

11 Desperate, she tried securing my root chakras (5-4) THIRD-EYES {SHE+TRIED}* over {mY}

13 Average time required (5) MEANT {MEAN}{T}

14 Come to see naked sponsors of terrorism (3) ISI vISIt

15 Taking no good parts? That is smart! (9) INGESTING {I{N}{G}E}{STING}

18 Stewart for example - popular artist! (5) RODIN {ROD}{IN}

20 A bird preys essentially by cutting one quick! (5) EAGLE {prEys}{AGiLE}

22 Caught, say along with forbidden rank (3-3-3) O?T-AN?-O?T (Addendum - OUT-AND-OUT {OUT}{AND}{OUT} - See comments)

25 Purpose: Demand sanctioning of Casual Leave (3) AIM clAIM

26 One quietly tucked into couch with 2 feet (5) BIPED {B{1}{P}ED}

27 European from Greenland possibly (9) ENGLANDER*

30 Love to write and sing outdoors (4,3) OPEN AIR {0}{PEN}{AIR}

31 Virginia Spear's decorative drapery (7) VALANCE {VA}{LANCE}

32 Controversial article about diplomat at the forefront (9) HERETICAL {ARTICLE}*<=>{HE}

33 Hound's tough! (5) BULLY [DD}

DOWN

1   Spooner's shining weapon for after-work parties (9) NIGHTLIFE (~light knife to nightlife)

2   Fly over a day in Jewish state (7) WYOMING {W{YOM}ING}

3   Yes, that is extremely limited harvest (5) YIELD {Y}{IE}{Li...eD}

4   Actor occasionally seen over fifty two years, warily rejecting approaches (5) COYLY {aCtOr}{Y}{L}{Y}

5   Management of error (9) OVERSIGHT [DD]

6   Something that decreases speed in remote fashion (5,4) STEAM IRON {S}{IN+REMOTE}* Correction to clue received from Vidwan. Still there is an Extra E and now a missing A.

7   Any darn liberal philosopher (3,4) AYN RAND*

8   Give up? No...no! Lease again! (5) RELET RELEnT

12 High tea snack (3) EAT*

16 Constant state of sad, loveless drifts (9) STEADFAST {STATE+oF+SAD}*

17 Cubic-shaped moist rice (9) ISOMETRIC*

19 I try one to start scandal (9) NOTORIETY*

21 Clothing/dresses/apparel (basically party skirts) for academic break (3,4) GAP YEAR {G{Ap...l}{PartY}EAR}

23 Answer: 50 + 50 = 100% (3) ALL {A}{L}{L}

24 Some record in a logbook or service book (7) ORDINAL [T]

26 An assassin's stand (5) BOOTH [DD]

28 Judge uses it right away to confuse (5) GAVEL GrAVEL

29 Improvisation of plans laid out beforehand at start (2-3) AD-LIB {LAID}*{Be...d}

Reference List

Hot = H, Work = W, Unknown = Y, Quietly = P, Time = T, No = N, Good = G, Casual leave = CL, Diplomat = HE(His Excellency), Yes = Y, Fifty = L, Year = Y, Answer = A, Right = R