No 13824, Tuesday 28 Mar 2023, Hypatia

Solution to 18D 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

8   Hypatia's hot menu is infection resistant (6) IMMUNE {I'M}{MENU*}

9   Spooner's screen appeared showing solitaire, say (4,4) CARD GAME (~guard came to card game)

10 Lad's network blocked by discontented ballad singer (3,5) BOB DYLAN {BO{Ba..aD}Y}{LAN}

11 Avenger's cross protecting a chest (6) THORAX {THOR}{X} over {A}

12 Appeal for "Caught" before Sharma bats taking single (8) CHARISMA {C}{HAR{1}SMA*}

13 Celestial object around a square drifting without energy (6) QUASAR {A+SQUARe}*

14 Felt neglected (4,3) LEFT OUT {FELT}* [RA]

17 Ridicules admitting small time clowns (7) JESTERS {JE{S}{T}ERS}

20 Drive a couple of minutes to visit that woman (6) HAMMER {H{A}{MM}ER}

22 Stop next to a poor house (8) BUNGALOW {BUNG}{A}{LOW}

25 Bikes languished near Sabha's entrance (6) MOPEDS {MOPED}{Sa..a}

26 Opens one-time forgotten Women's Institute after renovation (8) UNTWISTS {WomenS+INStiTUTe}*

27 Film fan behind line for crunchy snack (8) HAZELNUT {HAZE} and {NUT}<=>{L}

28 Basically Vedic Indian sages hailed nearly universal God (6) VISHNU Acrostic

DOWN

1   Drunkard had very little time before he nursed one drink (8) SMOOTHIE {S{MO}OT}{H{1}E}

2   Crows flying up from bored ruminants (6) MURDER [T<=]

3   Troops with weapons to trade sides in kingdoms (6) REALMS {RE}{A(-r+l)LMS}

4   Disgrace Indian party under scrutiny (7) SCANDAL {DAL}<=>{SCAN}

5   Almost plagiarize quite complex analysis (8) CRITIQUE {CRIb}{QUITE*}

6   Complain after working with soldier climbing up or backward (8) IGNORANT {RANT}<=>{ON}{GI}<=

7   One lamp broken by a horned animal (6) IMPALA {1}{LAMP*}{A}

15 Damaged flat transferred without current unit (8) TAMPERED {Tr...eD} over {AMPERE}

16 Not expected to lose head right away in revolt (8) UPRISING sUrPRISING

18 Supporting Britain's king in settling down (8) R?O?T?N? (Addendum - ROOSTING (-b+r)ROOSTING - See comments)

19 Kidnaps bachelor seen in American channels (7) ABDUCTS {A}{B}{DUCTS}

21 Hooded jacket shared by woman or a kid (6) ANORAK [T]

23 Regularly ignored, in fact, his view's original (6) NATIVE {iN+fAcT+hIs+ViEw}

24 Close to Mahatma, South Africa followed that man for the principle of non-violence (6) AHIMSA {m...mA} and {SA}<=>{HIM}

Reference List

Caught = C, Energy = E, Small = S, Time = T, Minute = M, Line = L, Troops = RE(Royal Engineers)Indian Party = DAL, Right = R, Britian = B, King = R, Bachelor = B, American = A