No 13896, Tuesday 20 Jun 2023, Dr. X

Solution to 23A 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   Cobras wandering around old area in Brazilian city (8) SOROCABA {SOR{O}CAB*}{A}

5   Fortifies with complex carbs to conserve energy (6) BRACES {BRAC{E}S*}

10 Stay faithful (7) STAUNCH [DD]

11 Time over in race - extremely close defeat (7) TROUNCE {T}{R{O}UN}{ClosE}

12 Well-mannered lecturer embracing retired senior (5) ELDER [T<=]

13 Tensed up about problem? On reflection, it is unavoidable (5,4) NEEDS MUST {NEEDS{SUM<=}T*}

14 Which players will volleyball coach select for caning as punishment (3,2,3,4) SIX OF THE BEST [DD]

18 Needs to defend world record and dominate (4,3,5) WEAR THE PANTS {W{EARTH}{EP}ANTS}

21 Friendly ape swinging on rope outside base (9) PEACEABLE {APE*}{C{E}ABLE}

23 Pass by crook going round bar (5) E?A?T (Addendum - ENACT {CANE<=}{T} - See comments)

24 Exterminate mice rampantly becoming prevalent in a region (7) ENDEMIC {END}{MICE*}

25 Pursuing couple of girls having drink after work (7) DOGGING {G{GIN}G}<=>{DO}

26 Note's missing, narrate fresh list of corrections (6) ERRATA nARRATE*

27 Old German coins in marsh close to Berlin picked up by brutes (8) PFENNIGS {P{FEN}{b...iN}IGS}

DOWN

1   Extremely simple test about last six lines of a sonnet (6) SESTET {Si..lE}{TEST*}

2   Sickly director overwhelmed by rheumatoid arthritis in African country (6) RWANDA {WAN}{D} in {RA}

3   Cheat rolled around with rebellious model in bed (3,6) CON ARTIST {RAN<=}{SIT<=} in {COT}

4   Revolting man in difficulty beckons a criminal covertly (6,4,4) BEHIND ONES BACK {B{HE<=}IND}{BECKONS+A}*

6   Cheats and swindlers caught escaping (5) ROOKS cROOKS

7   Criminal managed to abduct fellow at sea (8) CONFUSED {CON}{F}{USED}

8   Watch religious group grabbing power, getting worried (8) SPECTATE {S{P}ECT}{ATE}

9   Far superior to others, defeats foremost of athletes easily (7,5,2) STREETS AHEAD OF {OTHERS+DEFEATS+At...s}*

15 Article penned by individual about dope as psychoactive substance (9) ENTHEOGEN {EN{THE}O<=}{GEN}

16 Wife wearing crown with diamonds over European suit (3-5) TWO-PIECE {T{W}OP}{I{E}CE}

17 Outlaw in America, a murder suspect (8) MARAUDER {A+A+MURDER}*

19 Associate enthralled by fine dip, essentially a paste made from sesame seeds (6) TAHINI {T{A}HIN}{dIp}

20 Performs striptease finally in parties for men (6) STAGES {STAG{s...sE}S}

22 English maiden satisfied a tourist in Cornwall (5) EMMET {E}{M}{MET}

Reference List

Old = O, Area = A, Energy = E, Time = T, Over = O, Record = EP(Extended Play), Base = E, Bar = T, Girl = G, Note = N, Director = D, Rheumatoid Arthritis = RA, Caught = C, Fellow = F, Power = P, Dope = GEN, Wife = W, Diamonds = ICE, European = E, America = A, Associate = A, English = E, Maiden = M