No 14074, Thursday 18 Jan 2024, Dr. X

Solution to 25A 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   Betrayal essentially! Partner and thin babe cavorting in bed (4,2,3,4) STAB IN THE BACK {parTner+THIN+BABE}* in {SACK}

8   Propose on vacation in bar to get hitched (5) ROPED {RO{Pr...sE}D}

9   Rushed back with budget report (9) NARRATION {RAN<=}{RATION}

11 Fight with fellow breaking key device on camera (10) VIEWFINDER {VIE}{W{F}INDER}

12 Ring stolen by cad is costly (4) DISC [T]

14 Old British soldier in art deco building (7) REDCOAT*

16 Revolutionary technique protecting long cartilaginous tube (7) TRACHEA {ART<=} over {ACHE}

17 Great old banyan, say, outside entrance to mandir (7) EXTREME {EX}{TRE{Ma...r}E}

19 Degenerate consuming ecstasy after drink performed the Cuban dance (7) RUMBAED {BA{E}D}<=>{RUM}

21 Member tackling unionist in plant (4) ARUM {AR{U}M}

22 Wife shouting without limits constantly? Fancy that! (4,1,5) WELL I NEVER {W}{yELLINg}{EVER}

25 Female entering topless - bust's impressive (9) E?F?C?I?E ()

26 Confess about drinking whiskey at university (3,2) OWN UP {O{W}N}{UP}

27 Analysed best teams - they succeed by circumventing rules (4,3,6) BEAT THE SYSTEM*

DOWN

2   Highest ranked player in river returned after recurrent trouble (3,4) TOP SEED {DEE<=}<=>{SPOT<=}

3   Comfortable situation that might get prickly? (3,2,5) BED OF ROSES [DD]

4   Sheer fabric from salon in Ontario (5) NINON [T]

5   Farm worker runs after swift animal snatching undergarment (9) HARVESTER {R}<=>{HAR{VEST}E}

6   Base of toe crushed by nasty ball (4) BEAD {B{toE}AD}

7   Ice supplied to top hotel for Scottish social event (7) CEILIDH {ICE*}{LID}{Ho..l}

8   Boxer's last two vertebrae injured in ring (11) REVERBERATE {boxER+VERTEBRAE}*

10 Smooch a stunner heartily with abandon outside club? Totally! (4,3,4) NECK AND CROP {NECK}{A}{stuNner}{D{C}ROP}

13 Mellow husband turned amorous, cuddling up at home (10) HARMONIOUS {H}{ARMO{IN<=}OUS*}

15 In addition to that article, write about latest in research (9) THEREWITH {THE}{WRITE*}{r...cH}

18 Very strong taste of liquorice in authentic sweet (7) TRUFFLE {TRU{FF}{Li...e}E}

20 Move forward with a leap after securing victory (7) ADVANCE {A}{D{V}ANCE}

23 Picked up escorts in English city (5) LEEDS (~leads)

24 A little scissor to trim tail (4) SCUT {Sc...r}{CUT}

Reference List

Fellow = F, Ecstasy = E, Unionist = U, Wife = W, Whiskey = W, At university = UP, Runs = R, Club = C, Husband = H, Very strong = FF, Victory = V