No 13997, Tuesday 17 Oct 2023, Afterdark

Artwork by Prasanna

Solution to 23D 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

8   Baron Ray is in trouble (6) BLIGHT {B}{LIGHT}

9   Longing (yen) lost after lady's information (8) LEARNING {yEARNING}<=>{L}

10 Finances in lacs, totally as private investment primarily? Fantastic (8) CAPITALS {LACS+To...y+As+Pr...e+In...t}*

11 Reptile's tail severed, flipped. Has a big head in the front, in a foreign country (6) BRAZIL {LIZARd<=} <=>{Big}

12 Dog breaks trends (8) CURRENTS {CUR}{RENTS}

13 Leader lacking insight to compose thoughts (6) THINGS iNSIGHT* 

14 Be in good shape to frequently receive angel's aid (7) BENEFIT {BE}{aNgEl}{FIT}

17 Cavaliers and king shape 13 (7) KNIGHTS {K}{THINGS}*

20 Courage shown by short boy alongside railway official preventing loot primarily (6) BOTTLE {BOy}{TT{Loot}E}

22 CERN to lead 50% to transform an elementary particle (8) ELECTRON {CERN+TO+LEad}*

25 Brutal punch taking power with force (6) FIERCE (-p+f)FIERCE

26 Editor recalled reporter in Express (8) DESCRIBE {ED<=}{SCRIBE}

27 Rural inhabitant's house at Germany (8) VILLAGER {VILLA}{GER}

28 Inventor of an element (erbium) (6) LEADER {LEAD}{ER}

DOWN

1   Will's appeal indisputable (8) PLEASURE {PLEA}{SURE}

2   Undergraduate's invention's primarily reckless and more revolting (6) UGLIER {UG}{LIE}{Re...s}

3   Force coaches to cycle (6) STRAIN (+s)STRAIN(-s)

4   Shirt on top in the cupboard is dearest (7) CLOSEST {CLOSE{Sh..t}T}

5   Fruit and butter perhaps besides a lunch essentially (8) RAMBUTAN {RAM}{BUT}{A}{luNch}

6   Attacking reforms India arrests vain leader. No good (8) INVADING {IN{Vain}ADI*}{N}{G}

7   Pandemonium in England gets resolution (6) ENDING {EN{DIN}G}

15 Specialist's passion largely hollow in every way (8) ENTIRELY {ENT}{IRE}{La...lY}

16 Say cold people's eyes reportedly be with rage often taking on society (8) ICEBERGS {(~eyes)ICE}{BE}{RaGe}{S}

18 Upsets butler so badly (8) TROUBLES*

19 Audience on notice to ignore odd genres (7) READERS {RE}{AD}{gEnReS}

21 Soldiers arresting one nationalist at foundation (6) ORIGIN {OR}{1}{GI}{N}

23 Stands quiet at house (6) E?S?L? (Addendum - EASELS {EASE}{LS} - See comments)

24 Strange hatred for subject (6) THREAD*

Reference List

Baron = B, Yen = Y, Lady = L, King = K, Power = P, Force = F, Undergraduate = UG, No = N, Good = G, England = ENG, Specialist = ENT, Society = S, On = RE, Notice = AD, Soldiers = OR and GI, Nationalist = N, House = LS(Lok Sabha)