No 13888, Saturday 10 Jun 2023, Lightning

ACROSS

1   In a riot, five tug international escaping the law (8) FUGITIVE {FIVE+TUG+I}*

5   A rookie embraced by celebrity is very excited (6) AFLAME {A}{F{L}AME}

9   Preference to assimilate right knowledge gained through study (8) LEARNING {LEA{R}NING}

10 Language of fellow at ditch - blowing the top off (6) FRENCH {F}{tRENCH}

12 Tennis player from a land that is changing (5) NADAL {A+LAND}*

13 As per ten, a tree outside university is not trendy (9) UNPOPULAR {UN}{POP{U}LAR}

14 Steal sweatshirt (6) FLEECE [DD]

16 Presently at this place? At no place (7) NOWHERE {NOW}{HERE}

19 Wandering leader spans cross country for starters (7) NOMADIC {NO 1} over {MAD} and {Co...y}

21 Carport essentially lacking trash (6) GARAGE GARbAGE

23 Make sure a canister is properly arranged (9) ASCERTAIN {A}{CANISTER*}

25 Normal to join one society in European city (5) PARIS {PAR}{I}{S}

26 Mostly genuine, hard worker becomes absent without permission (6) TRUANT {TRUe}{ANT}

27 Often rue playing number (8) FOURTEEN* Number of French Open titles won by Nadal, coincidentally Nadal's current ATP ranking is also Fourteen.

28 Nervous indecision bandit, hero showed (6) DITHER [T]

29 US city upset with second team in game (8) LACROSSE {LA}{CROSS}{tEam}

DOWN

1   Almost cut operational yacht at first - it's a crime (6) FELONY {FELl}{ON}{Ya..t}

2   German currency hit - it's major (5,4) GRAND SLAM {G}{RAND}{SLAM}

3   Characteristic of pitch showed by hundred and a fifty (5) TONAL {TON}{A}{L}

4   Risk in opening English river (7) VENTURE {VENT}{URE}

6   Can prisoner of war primarily elicit response to military capability? (4-5) FIRE-POWER {FIRE}{POW}{El...t}{Re...e}

7   Invalidate any new notary under law at the beginning (5) ANNUL Acrostic

8   Enter the warped medium for transmission (8) ETHERNET*

11 Old writing device is not closed (4) OPEN {O}{PEN}

15 Strength of objective we hear you managed with church (9) ENDURANCE {END}{(~you)U}{RAN}{CE}

17 Engineer sees new gear with keen interest (9) EAGERNESS {SEES+N+GEAR}*

18 Peacekeepers need editor? Not necessary (8) UNWANTED {UN}{WANT}{ED}

20 Place carbon upfront on red earth (4) CLAY {LAY}<=>{C}

21 Misplaced gold on a boat (7) GONDOLA*

22 America cutting first break perhaps in time to make payment (6) USANCE {US}{dANCE}

24 Invite people deciding a case (5) COURT [DD]

25 Sound of happiness taking earth that is more natural (5) PURER {PUR{E}R}

Reference List

International = I, Rookie = L, Right = R, Fellow = F, As per 10 (French) a  = UN, University = U, Society = S, Germany = G, Hundred = TON, Fifty = L, Prisoner of war = POW, Old = O, Church = CE, New = N, Editor = ED, Carbon = C, Earth = E