No 14084, Tuesday 30 Jan 2024, Vidwan

Solution to 24D 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   Fact: Hard to follow faith without slightest self-doubt (5) TRUTH {H}<=>{TRUsT}

4   Tiny tiger represented completeness (9) INTEGRITY*

9   Letter - English, sounds like a gun (7) EPISTLE {E}{(~pistol)PISTLE}

10 Broadcast attack on King and feel nauseated (7) AIRSICK {AIR}{SIC}{K}

11 Conservative and smart, not bold (5) RIGHT bRIGHT

13 This lesson ban could be abnormal! (5) MORAL {+BAN=ABNORMAL} [CA]

15 Like small donkey (3) ASS {AS}{S}

16 Brews IPS drink (3) SIP*

17 Boyfriend was in trouble (5) SWAIN*

19 Sounds like tick? East European one! (5) CZECH (~check)

21 Bear's bendy weapon (5) SABRE*

23 Large place like Mahe provides cotton fibre (5) LISLE {L}{ISLE}

24 Man's address is possibly royal (3) SIR {IS}*{R}

25 Endlessly press for discharge (3) PUS PUSh

26 A longer route avoiding Panama Gulf (5) ABYSS {A}{BYpaSS}

28 Small, firm and mostly fresh cake (5) SCONE {S}{CO}{NEw}

29 Small picture about ultimate material (7) PLASTIC {P{LAST}IC}

31 One serving coffee in Zanzibar is Tanzanian (7) BARISTA [T]

33 Said to be first rule (9) PRINCIPLE (~principal)

34 University replaces very device that controls flow rate (5) VALUE VAL(-v+u)UE

DOWN

1   Philosophers toss their curls (9) THEORISTS*

2   Foolishly suing Indian state can be exhausting (5,2) USING UP {SUING}*{UP}

3   Hot sex is a rage (3) HIT {H}{IT}

4   One light kind of structural element (1-4) I-BEAM {1}{BEAM}

5   Drink and eat liberally (3) TEA*

6   Having circular movement during high-energy rallies (5) GYRAL [T]

7   Ape a friend having sex (7) IMITATE {1}{M{IT}ATE}

8   Expression of fear? Yes...of an ex-USA President (5) YIKES {Y}{IKE'S}

12 Try and sample to evaluate basically (5) TASTE Acrostic &lit

14 Ancient German characters go with emphases on both sides (5) RUNES {RUN}{Em...eS}

18 Almost complete place of calm (5) ALLAY {ALl}{LAY}

19 Malt and this game could be matchless (5) CHESS (+MALT=MATCHLESS} [CA]

20 Patronise this derby perhaps for operations research (5,4) HORSE RACE {O+RESEARCH}*

22 Staple batsman, mostly playing as opener for India (7) BASMATI {BATSMAn}*{In..a}

24 No principle backing the marriage ceremony (7) S?O?S?L (Addendum - SPOUSAL eSPOUSAL - See comments) ESPOSAL and SPOUSAL mean the same

25 Appear suddenly, quietly with ordinary young dog (3-2) POP-UP {P}{O}{PUP}

26 One with tact makes room at the top (5) ATTIC {1+TACT}*

27 Small fit for fur (5) SABLE {S}{ABLE}

30 Exceed limit (3) CAP [DD]

32 Title in some measure for evangelists (3) REV [T]

Reference List

Hard = H, English = E, King = K, Bold = B, Small = S, Large = L, Royal = R, University = U, Very = V, Hot = H, Sex = IT, Yes = Y, Operations = O, Quietly = P, Ordinary = O