No 14045, Thursday 14 Dec 2023, Vidwan

Solution to 17D 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.

ACROSS

1   Balance my rest and my shifts (8) SYMMETRY {MY+REST+MY}*

5   District top cop called Rose (6) SPRANG {SP}{RANG}

10 Unconventional grid leading to extreme lament (5) DIRGE {GRID*}{Ex...e}

11 Fellow for scene recreated in real life (3-6) OFF-SCREEN {F+FOR+SCENE}*

12 At sea, it's mostly clear on edge of the land (9) COASTLINE {ITS+CLEAr+ON}*

13 Language spoken in Hungary regularly by leaders of interslavic communities (5) UGRIC {hUnGaRy}{In...c}{Co...s}

14 Heavy Metal's so strangely silent about one! (6) OSMIUM {SO*}{M{1}UM}

15 Fanatic's difficult to kill (3-4) DIE-HARD {DIE}{HARD}

18 Magnify number for a permit (7) ENNOBLE EN(-a+no)NOBLE

20 Not a day without poor, poor limp! (6) DROOPY {Da{POOR*}Y}

22 Crown's somewhat anti-Arab (5) TIARA [T]

24 Record and watch tree transforming over time (9) GAZETTEER {GAZE}{TREE*} over {T} 

25 Hard part of face of revolutionary English King, bold and single! (9) CHEEKBONE {CHE}{E}{K}{B}{ONE}

26 I bail out with this! (5) ALIBI* &lit

27 Supported structure let on a condition (4-2) LEAN-TO*

28 He-man's abrupt last learning (8) STUDYING {STUd}{DYING}

DOWN

1   Second reason, not the first, to trap (6) SEDUCE {S}{dEDUCE}

2   It's normal kind of wrong (6,3) MORTAL SIN*

3   Pick most opulent, most boring, mostly protein based diet and something to keep body warm (15) ELECTRICBLANKET {ELECT}{RICh}{BLANd}{KET o} Enu should be (8,7)

4   Kind of mid-hour Heavy Metal (7) RHODIUM*

6   Playing cupid, Potter's engaging coach? Beautiful! (15) PICTUREPOSTCARD {CUPID+POTTERS}* over {CAR}

7   A mere mortal and a Muslim noble (5) AMEER {A}{MERE*} Mortal as Anind?

8   Gone crazy, dice rolled...mass murder (8) GENOCIDE {GONE*}{DICE*}

9   Off the subject, failing, failed! (6) AFIELD*

16 Small software program, popular one for making a cocktail (9) APPLETINI {APPLET}{IN}{1}

17 So cut it back with calm, almost straight (8) ?E?T?C?L (Addendum - VERTICAL {VERy}{IT<=}{CALm} - See comments)

19 Mixed drink for example going around without iota of ice (6) EGGNOG {EG}{GOiNG}*

20 Most sleepy party, one without enjoyment (7) DOZIEST {DO}{Z{1}EST}

21 Making effort is difficult (6) TRYING [DD]

23 Part of Aadhaar enabled sector (5) ARENA [T]

Reference List

Fellow = F, Number = NO, English = E, King = K, Bold = B, Second = S, Party = DO