No 14094, Saturday 10 Feb 2024, KrisKross

ACROSS

1   Tell a story describing good universal order (8) REGULATE {RE{G}{U}LATE}

5   Some think it's cheap form of art (6) KITSCH [T]

9   Lord (OBE) and daughter specially like rubies (5-3) BLOOD-RED {LORD+OBE+D}*

10 Starts to defend excessively... average becomes lower (6) DEMEAN {De...d}{Ex...y}{MEAN}

12 English less excited to consume flat mid-morning snack (9) ELEVENSES {E}{L{EVEN}SES*}

13 Sharp, professional tips from rich businessman (5) ACERB {ACE}{Rich}{Bu...n}

14 Check contract - insufficient (4) SCAN SCANt

16 Crude iron ore originally found near Colorado river (7) ORINOCO {IRON*}{Ore}{CO}

19 Tragic hero collapsed, too full of suffering (7) OTHELLO {OT{HELL}O*}

21 Empress from Spain arriving in retreat (4) RANI [T<=]

24 Wrong to drink cha without a mug (5) STEIN {S{TEa}IN}

25 Able teams fighting for lead, perhaps (4,5) BASE METAL*

27 Smoother cushion? (6) BUFFER {DD]

28 Boss trained most tense novices (8) STUDENTS {STUD}{TENSe*}

29 Recruit two leaders each from engineering, literature, statistics (6) ENLIST {ENg...g}{LIt...e}{STa...s}

30 Ultimately, mankind may do so badly resulting in the end of the world (8) DOOMSDAY {m...nD}{MAY+DO+SO}* Semi&lit

DOWN

1   Series of tests for a masseur? (6) RUBBER [DD]

2   Catching ball, abruptly order review (2,4) GO OVER {GO{O}VERn}

3   Shelf with long side (5) LEDGE {L}{EDGE}

4   Patriot's final excuse for betraying country (7) TREASON {p...oT}{REASON}

6   Knotted tie, helping to form loop (9) ITERATION {TIE*}{RATION}

7   Fractured knee - lost several bones (8) SKELETON*

8   Guide cycling group through sharp bend (8) HANDBOOK {H{(-b)AND(+b)B}OOK}

11 Capital city is extremely backward and poor, they say (4) OSLO  {SO<=}{(~low)LO}

15 Vessels like "Armstrong" and "Aldrin" say? (9) COLANDERS {CO-LANDERS}

17 Police force winning pinball regularly is on the cards (8) POSSIBLE {POSS{pInBaLl}E}

18 Happy with free lunch in a mess, having no money essentially (8) CHEERFUL {FREE+LUnCH}*

20 Spheres of research becoming silos primarily (4) ORBS Acrostic

21 Teacher rejected German rice dish (7) RISOTTO {SIR<=}{OTTO}

22 Drunk son expiated, giving up alcohol basically (6) STONED {S}{aTONED}

23 Bad case of schizophrenia? Yes, absolutely (3,3) I'LL SAY {ILL}{Sc...iA}{Y}

26 Lady going up and down (5) MADAM <=>

Reference List

Good = G, Universal = U, Daughter = D, English = E, Long = L, Son = S