No 14047, Saturday 16 Dec 2023, Afterdark

ACROSS

1   Partner collapsed, down after losing margins (6) FELLOW {FELL}{dOWn}

4   Say, Republicans invite everyone to run (6) GALLOP {G{ALL}OP}

8   In sleep, police officer laughs intermittently and meanders (7) ZIGZAGS {Z{IG}Z}{lAuGhS}

9   Chased learner for top cents and hoarded (7) STACKED STA(-l+c)CKED

11 Moonset seen in rarest broadcast by scientist (10) ASTRONOMER {MOON}* in {RAREST}*

12 Enthusiastic Indian natives trade onions from sources (4) INTO Acrostic

13 Covers trials (5) CASES [DD]

14 Plane in Africa crashes over border of Rwanda, tragic at the outset (8) AIRCRAFT {AFRICA}* over {Rw...a} and {Tr...c}

16 Hints cutting sugar by 40%, gets dizzy and has a lick of sugar (8) SUGGESTS {SUGar}{GETS*}{Su..r}

18 Retired officer meeting criminal at bar (5) LOCAL {COL<=}{AL}

20 Guest unimpressed, conceals shock (4) STUN [T]

21 Anxious husband trespasses bending steel bars (10) BREATHLESS {H} in {STEEL+BARS}*

23 Leave for ashram... (7) RETREAT [DD]

24 ...disguised as sad divorcee losing independence (7) COVERED DiVORCEE*

25 Perhaps one of you, will give nothing away for gaining one metal (6) SILVER S(-o+1}ILVER

26 Like Peru, Ecuador has original talking point (6) ASPECT {AS}{PE}{EC}{Ta...g}

DOWN

1   If, upset lady enters inside, Messi often takes off (5) FLIES {I{L}F<=}{mEsSi}}

2   At the end guileful magicians lose weight and become reptiles (7) LIZARDS {g...uL}{wIZARDS}

3   Newspaper is getting manuscripts on cells (9) ORGANISMS {ORGAN}{IS}{MS}

5   Agent lost his head with performer (5) ACTOR fACTOR

6   Lady Curie fissioned without potassium and became more successful (7) LUCKIER {L}{UC{K}IER*}

7   Productive and fast after pressure, I almost complete (9) PLENTIFUL {LENT}<=>{P} with {I}{FULl}

10 Assemblies reconvened to expel Luxembourg delegations (9) EMBASSIES ASSEMBlIES*

13 Noblemen besiege the French without end (9) COUNTLESS {COUNT{LES}S}

15 Jubilation in house with kin (9) RELATIONS {R{ELATION}S}

17 Sheila reneges in retreat constraining senior officer (7) GENERAL [T<=]

19 Institution is firm on learners league is evenly represented (7) COLLEGE {CO}{LL}{lEaGuE}

21 Somehow able to skirt zone of fire (5) BLAZE {BLA{Z}E*}

22 Sri Lanka - Spain, top players over time to be rested (5) SLEPT {SL}{E}{Pl...s}{T}

Reference List

Republicans = GOP, Learner = L, Criminal = AL, Husband = H, Independence = I, Lady = L, Weight = W, Manuscripts = MS, Pressure = P, The in French = LES, House = RS(Rajya Sabha), Zone = Z, Spain = E, Time = T