No 14077, Monday 22 Jan 2024, Dr. X

Solution to 20D 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   Degenerate grabbing slim associate in Indian city (8) BATHINDA {BA{THIN}D}{A}

5   Arrest drunkard scoring heroin in Palestinian city (6) NABLUS {NAB}{LUSh}

10 Son scowled and ranted (7) SPOUTED {S}{POUTED}

11 Everyone with self-confidence accumulating runs at a brisk tempo (7) ALLEGRO {ALL}{EG{R}O}

12 It's smoked fish after calamari on vacation (5) CIGAR {GAR}<=>{Ca...rI}

13 Old shrew let loose after drinking gin heartily (9) ERSTWHILE {SHREW+LET}* over {gIn}

14 Hires a top doc working in branch of medicine (12) ORTHOPAEDICS*

18 Liquid fat from olive sprinkled over good European food (9,3) VEGETABLE OIL {OLIVE}* over {G}{E}{TABLE}

21 Nationalist remains unpleasant, tackling Liberal in American city (9) NASHVILLE {N}{ASH}{VI{L}LE}

23 Plant in container I carry (5) ERICA [T]

24 Release by starting to unravel loop in rope securing line (7) UNLOOSE {Un...l}{N{L}OOSE}

25 Container filled with extremely inert salt (7) CITRATE {C{InerT}RATE}

26 Playboy, say, is crazy ex-convict according to Spooner (3,3) LAD MAG (mad lag to lad mag}

27 Like funny yarns about one inhabitant of ancient kingdom (8) ASSYRIAN {AS}{SYR{1}AN*}

DOWN

1   Divide into two parts with secant cutting segment (6) BISECT {BI{SEC}T}

2   Romeo in severe depression (6) TROUGH {T{R}OUGH}

3   Take prettier models to introduce latest in fashion (9) INTERPRET {PRETTIER}* over {f...oN}

4   What matador will do - move finally on time to have a narrow escape (5,3,6) DODGE THE BULLET {DODGE THE BULL}{movE}{T}

6   Radiant in silver-blue (5) AGLOW {AG}{LOW}

7   Containing brown coal, sample abruptly catches fire releasing energy (8) LIGNITIC {L{IGNITe}ICk}

8   Special agents protecting new king in Russian city (8) SMOLENSK {S}{MOLE{N}S}{K}

9   Deception by criminals stealing fancy pearl set (5,9) FALSE PRETENCES {F{PEARL+SET}*ENCES}

15 Clearly in depression, overwhelmed by disastrous year (9) EVIDENTLY {EVI{DENT}L}{Y}

16 Resulting in smooth chess champion winning Cup at centre (8) EVENTUAL {EVEN}{T{cUp}AL}

17 Terrible gas after eating, disheartened by son's dish (3,5) EGG SALAD {GAS}*<=>{Ea..nG} and {LAD}

19 Youngster wanting date with girl on island in African capital (6) KIGALI {KId}{GAL}{I}

20 Den in front of cheap topless bar (6) ?A?E?N (Addendum - CAVERN {Ch..p}{tAVERN} - See comments)

22 Start to inspect oval-shaped musical instrument (5) VIOLA {In...t+OVAL}*

Reference List

Associate = A, Heroin = H, Son = S, Runs = R, Good = G, European = E, Nationalist = N, Liberal = L, Line = L, Romeo = R, Time = T, Energy = E, Special = S, New = N, King = K, Year = Y, Island = I