No 14063, Thursday 04 Jan 2024, Arden

Solution to 19D 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   Draining of resources - it's crazy, reckless, never ending, like this fabric (8,6) BLEEDING MADRAS {BLEEDING}{MAD}{RASh}

10 Oil spill on the river (5) LOIRE {OIL*}{RE}

11 Sailor's fare, throws up for company use (9) LOBSCOUSE {LOBS}{CO}{USE}

12 Old vehicle - after drink people go on rampage (7) CHARIOT {CHA}{RIOT}

13 Arden set out, losing five hundred deposit (7) EARNEST {ARdEN+SET}*

14 School routine (5) DRILL [DD]

16 One hired to copy - point in and point out (9) APPOINTEE {AP{POINT}E}{E}

19 Medical procedure - a case near building (9) CAESAREAN*

20 American stuck in these American cities briefly becomes a beast (5) NYALA {NY}{A}{LA}

22 Hard copy on a duct (7) TRACHEA {TRAC{H}E}{A}

25 Land is thus surrounded by mountain peak (7) ISTHMUS {IS}{TH{Mo...n}US}

27 Aloo tikka - no one wants to touch it (3,6) HOT POTATO [DD]

28 Excavate? On the contrary retain without a change (5) INTER RETaIN*

29 Kind of tense now, spot on (7,7) PRESENT PERFECT {PRESENT}{PERFECT}

DOWN

2   Harassed ladies get help, saved (4,5) LAID ASIDE {L{AID}SIDE*}

3   Plant will come up in time, let it (5) ELEMI [T<=]

4   Uncomfortable using local anaesthetic? Won't catch on (3,2,4) ILL AT EASE {LocaL+AnAESthETIc}*

5   Part of the wall can withstand force from top (5) GABLE {ABLE}<=>{G}

6   Electric wire, it is charged by this instrument (9) ACCORDION {AC}{CORD}{ION}

7   Regret having to go back in between regularly, it's just cosmetic (5) ROUGE {R{O}U{G<=}E}

8   Respect travelling staff (7) SCEPTRE*

9   Calm and extremely peaceful with a cop in tow (6) PLACID {Pe...uL}{A}{CID}

15 Leo Thomas shot in offensive (9) LOATHSOME*

17 Criticize those showing interest in this women's wear (9) PANTIHOSE {PAN}{T{I}HOSE}

18 Automatic change, nothing goes right coming in (9) TRAUMATIC {AUT{-o+r)RMATIC}* Definition missing

19 Gain on, ten perhaps? (5,2) C?T?H ?P (Addendum - CATCH UP {NET<= = TEN} - See comments)

21 American users somehow get guarantee (6) ASSURE {A}{USERS*}

23 Cave dwellers in distant regions (5) ANTRE [T]

24 Match after a day, likely (5) ADAPT {AD}{APT}

26 One in the force is a rustler (5) THIEF {TH{1}E}{F}

Reference List

On = RE, Company = CO, Five hundred = D, American = A, Hard = H, Force = G, Interest = I, Right = R, Day = D, Force = F