No 13874, Thursday 25 May 2023, Dr. X

Solution to 26A 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.

Open for anyone to answer, if not solved by 1 PM.

ACROSS

1/7 Law of nature never changes - start to behave responsibly (4,4,1,3,4)  TURN OVER A NEW LEAF*

5   Like musical instrument's note (1,5) A SHARP {AS}{HARP}

10 Finest girl wanting hot, stylish clothes (7) CLASSIC {Ch{LASS}IC}

11 Most foul-smelling tanker possibly contains sulphur (7) RANKEST {RANKE{S}T*}

12 Mother discarding spade ace (5) MATER MAsTER

13 Guy perishes, having primarily broken many bones (9) MANDIBLES {MAN}{DI{Br...n}{L}ES}

14 Duly act as busy nurses struggle in emergency room (8,4) CASUALTY WARD {DULY+ACT+AS}* over {WAR}

18 Rationalists release plays about hoaxes at inauguration (12) FREETHIMKERS {FREE}{T{Ho...s}INKERS} 

21 Consuming cool soft drink with starter of tasty American sausage (9) CHIPOLATA {C{HIP}OLA}{Ta..y}{Am...n}

23 Event in 60 minutes, leaving hotel to get bouquet (5) ODOUR {hO{DO}UR}

24 Galena, say, from a round shaft in sanctuary (4,3) LEAD ORE {LE{A}{ROD<=}E}

25 European, one with sunburn, tackling back pain (7) ITALIAN {1}{TA{AIL<=}N}

26 Did this and rose to catch fish (6) R?E?E? 

27 Petulant youngster finally restrained by woman's command (8) SHREWISH {SH{y...eR}E}{WISH}

DOWN

1   Mexican dish by mother in American city (6) TACOMA {TACO}{MA}

2   Criticises star, so intoxicated (6) ROASTS*

3   Egg with slice of bacon, helper's attentive (9) OBSERVANT {O}{Ba..n}{SERVANT}

4   Old CIA document discovered about member banished from church (14) EXCOMMUNICATED {EX}{CIA+DOCUMENT}*  over {M}

6   Succeeds in aim to conquer mountain (5) SINAI [T]

7   See 1 Across

8   Disregard a dispute perhaps (3,5) PUT ASIDE*

9   Finish dark rum, filled with desire to consume a lot of alcohol (5,4,1,4) DRINK LIKE A FISH {FINISH+DARK}* over {LIKE}

15 Long, narrow beer glass ordered for a lady by Earl (4,2,3) YARD OF ALE {FOR+A+LADY}*{E}

16 Clobbered fool for consuming cocaine, becoming indecent in America (3-5) OFF-COLOR {FOOL+FOR}* over {C}

17 Kill revolting rodents interrupting meeting (8) DECIMATE {D{MICE<=}ATE}

19 Gold coins of Roman empire auctioned around lunchtime at Italy (6) SOLIDI {SOL{1}D}{I}

20 Champion saves series with century in test (6) CRUNCH {C{RUN}{C}H}

22 Old bar in Polish city (5) OPOLE {O}{POLE}

Reference List

Hot = H, Sulphur = S, Spade = S, Cool = HIP, Hotel = H, Sanctuary = LEE, Member = M, Earl = E, Cocaine = C, Lunchtime = 1, Italy = I, Champion = CH, Century = C, Old = O