No 13823, Monday 27 Mar 2023, Dr. X

Solution to 17A 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   Rotten article by Conservative spreading silly pipe dream (6,2,5) FLIGHT OF FANCY {OFF}{AN}{C} in {FLIGHTY}

8   Girl enthralled by wine, going topless in expensive bar (5) INGOT {pIN{G}OT}

9   Basic reason versatile actor accepts ordinary role (4,5) ROOT CAUSE {RO{O}TCA*}{USE}

11 Vociferous supporter of strike in plant (3-7) TUB-THUMPER {TUB{THUMP}ER}

12 Resign in disgrace, devastated (4) CEDE [T]

14 One helping climbers instructed to protect old man coming back (7) TOEHOLD {TOLD} over {O}{HE<=}

16 Writes novel inside, taking time (7) INDITES {INDI{T}ES*}

17 Entering incorrect number leaves number that is not a fraction (7) I?T?G?R (Addendum - INTEGER {EnTERING}* - See comments)

19 Face of beauty captivates single male (7) GRIMACE {GR{1}{M}ACE}

21 Parrot going around small recess in church (4) APSE {AP{S}E}

22 Frantically appeals to save mother getting lump in the throat (5,5) ADAMS APPLE {A{DAM}SAPPLE*}

25 Rescued from deep river precariously (9) REPRIEVED*

26 Woman in Swiss town kills husband finally and confesses (5) AVOWS {dAVO{W}S}

27 Exorbitant, astonishing resale involving champion racehorse (13) STEEPLECHASER {STEEP}{LE{CH}ASER*}

DOWN

2   Member wanting book, good book that's easy to read (7) LEGIBLE {LEG}{bIBLE}

3   Pass by ghetto, largely demolished by bully (3,7) GET THROUGH {GHETTo}*{ROUGH}

4   Beginning to titter with hard liquor giving buzz (5) THRUM {Ti...r}{H}{RUM}

5   Well, drug cartel's thriving (9) FLOWERING {FLOW}{E}{RING}

6   Car crashed on top of Howrah bridge (4) ARCH {CAR*}{Ho...h}

7   Most obscene film about heartless demagogue (7) CRUDEST {CRU{De...gE}ST}

8   Where climber ascending Mt Everest has gone without a trace (4,4,3) INTO THIN AIR [C&DD]

10 Perfectly matched girl and boy in Netherlands on vacation (4-7) EVEN-STEVENS {EVE}{Ne...{STEVEN}...dS}

13 Dad is cooking a sponge cake in African capital (5,5) ADDIS ABABA {DAD+IS}*{A}{BABA}

15 Reckless lad grieved about losing girl (9) DAREDEVIL {LAD+gRIEVED}*

18 Drunkard turning drunk, starting to smoke cannabis (7) TOSSPOT {SOT<=}{Sm..e}{POT}

20 Like a very quiet stroll (7) APPROVE {A}{PP}{ROVE}

23 Doctor crushed by suicide, most upset (5) MEDIC [T<=]

24 Ultimately, road rage is disastrous (4) DIRE {roaD}{IRE}

Reference List

Conservative = C, Girl = G, Ordinary = O, Old = O, Time = T, Number = N, Male = M, Small = S, Mother = DAM, Woman = W, Champion = CH, Book = B, Hard = H, Well = FLOW, Drug = E, Sponge cake = BABA, Girl = G, Quiet = P