No 13977, Saturday 23 Sep 2023, Lightning

ACROSS

1   Bury established charge (8) INTEREST {INTER}{EST}

5   King essentially ready to assess striking art (6) KARATE {K}{reAdy}{RATE}

9   Detailed description provided by0 independent contractor at first is precise (8) SPECIFIC {SPEC}{IF}{I}{Co...r}

10 Challenge account with expense (6) ACCOST {AC}{COST}

12 Partly drop western article on couch (5) DIWAN {DIp}{W}{AN}

13 Enthusiastic engineer damages extra bun (9) EXUBERANT {E}{EXTRA+BUN}*

14 Perhaps Newton and editor joined forces (6) UNITED {UNIT}{ED}

16 Opening in gate perhaps provided diamonds (7) ORIFICE {OR}{IF}{ICE}

19 Attempt to break European journey - it's done for vanity (3,4) EGO TRIP {E}{GO}{TRIP}

21 Knight with breather left out fun mostly to discipline (4,2) KUNG FU {K}{lUNG}{FUn}

23 Pint seems to be brewed in free space (9) EMPTINESS*

25 Block the ball outside line that is not sharp (5) BLUNT {B{L}UNT}

26 Boiled chai, it is something good for the health (3-3) TAI-CHI*

27 Reputation of Eastern soldiers outside Indiana church (8) EMINENCE {E}{M{IN}EN}{CE}

28 Plan from a man almost joining district attorney (6) AGENDA {A}{GENt}{DA}

29 Partly create trace of shape of moon (8) CRESCENT {CREate}{SCENT}

DOWN

1   At home, team is within doors (6) INSIDE {IN}{SIDE}

2   Take down old building for martial art (9) TAEKWONDO  {TAKE+DOWN+O}*

3   Rule of precipitation we heard (5) REIGN (~rain)

4   Salary is a small reward at last (7) STIPEND {S}{TIP}{END}

6   Increase of one arctic fault (9) ACCRETION*

7   Any luau of Hawaii always starts with this (5) ALOHA Acrostic &lit

8   Let it end in a bad way - it's authorized (8) ENTITLED*

11 Half the people reading a sentence on ordinary self-defence technique (4) JUDO {JUDges}{O}

15 Tainted sailor back in small building (9) TARNISHED {TAR}{IN<=}{SHED}

17 Power of fine uncle in trouble (9) INFLUENCE*

18 Setter in depression, primarily in a state of mental deterioration (8) DEMENTIA {DE{ME}NT}{In}{A}

20 Baked food right by promenade near water (4) PIER {PIE}{R}

21 Loosely mark his region in the north (7) KASHMIR*

22 Bear witness at exam (6) ATTEST {AT}{TEST}

24 Particular engineer is highest in rank (5) PRIME {PRIM}{E}

25 Right away came to life at America with perk (5) BONUS {BOrN}{US}

Reference List

King = K, Independent = I, Western = W, Engineer = E, Editor = ED, Gate = OR, Diamonds = ICE, European = E, Knight = K, Left = L, Line = L, Eastern = E, Church = CE, Old = O, Small = S, Ordinary = O, Sailor = TAR, Right = R