No 13852, Saturday 29 Apr 2023, Avtaar

ACROSS

1   Regular member of the old Labour party? (7) MIDWIFE [CD]

5   Blue sapphire firing heart of bride, maybe? (7) PERHAPS SAPPHiRE*

9   Unproductive investment of tennis legend in America (7) USELESS {U{SELES}S}

10 Master furtively leaves Spain with son every 4 weeks or so (7) MONTHLY {M}{ON THe sLY}

11 West of hot old Asian country is shrouding mountain range (9) HIMALAYAS {H}{I{MALAYA}S}

12 Robes round screen personality Lovisa Gustafsson (5) GARBO {GARB}{O}

13 What has the highest frequency on mass communication equipment? (5) MODEM {MODE}{M} 

15 Keep off Spooner's tie collection (5,4) STAND BACK (~band stack to stand back)

17 Assign section to probe hostility asap (9) POSTHASTE {POST}{HA{S}TE}

19 Queen returns backing introduction of democracy in Tunisia's capital (5) DINAR {RANI<=}<=>{De...y}

22 Wherefrom Italy has taken back Asian island (5) TIMOR [T<=]

23 Hospital attendants in gold and maroon going around lounges (9) ORDERLIES {OR}{RED<=}{LIES}

25 Chiefs of tribes engage local enchanters with text message for charms (7) TELESMS {Tr...s}{En...e}{Lo..l}{En...s}{SMS}

26 Remain witty - it helps you sleep well (7) BEDROLL {BE}{DROLL}

27 Birds picked up communications in mixed languages (7) PIDGINS (~pigeons)

28 Arch-rival is going across India pursuing European adversaries (7) ENEMIES {NEMESis} over {I} following {E}

DOWN

1   Writer's mother on the radio (7) MAUGHAM (~mom)

2   Doctor made cocktail with ecstasy and hallucinated (7) DREAMED {DR}{MADE*} over {E}

3   A lake bearing fish, for example (5) IDEAL {A}{L}<=>{IDE}

4   Writers, for instance, participating in struggles after king is deposed (9) ESSAYISTS {rES{SAY}ISTS}

5   Drains water from shoes (5) PUMPS [DD]

6   Ill-treated, angered journalist turned traitor (9) RENEGADED {ANGERED*}{ED}

7   Guru's cautious going into entrance of Advaita Academy (7) ACHARYA {Ad...a}{CHARY}{Ac...y}

8   Loan shark's hair, shrinking on top (7) SHYLOCK {LOCK}<=>{SHY}

14 One sheltered by ashram built on fringes of Himalayan inclines (9) MAHARISHI {MAHAR{1}S*}{Hi...n}{In...s} &lit

16 Flexible about date - can be changed (9) AMENDABLE {AMEN{D}ABLE}

17 Break pulpits to protect houses (3,4) PIT STOP [T]

18 Tested singular, large diamonds (7) SAMPLED {S}{AMPLE}{D}

20 Love for English in upcoming South European capital (7) NAIROBI IB(-e+o)ORIAN<=

21 Verdicts of leaders in recent elections stymied ultras, leaving them shell-shocked (7) RESULTS Acrostic

23 Run out of pans for ovens (5) OASTS rOASTS

24 Black ducks go over hill (5) RIDGE bRIDGE

Reference List

Master = M, Spain = E, Son = S, Hot = H, Mass = M, Section = S, India = I, European = E, Ecstasy = E, Lake = L, Fish = IDE, King = R, Date = D, Singular = S, Diamonds = D, English = E, Run = R, Black = B