No 14101, Monday 19 Feb 2024, Dr. X

Solution to 1A 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   I turned confused during audition, being most nervous (8) T?M?D?S? (Addendum - TIMIDEST {T{I}{DIM<=}EST} - See comments)

5   Worries about one getting tooth decay (6) CARIES {CAR{1}ES}

10 English poet's fantastic response, expressing love (7) SPENSER RESPoNSE*

11 Maniac in a cult perhaps (7) LUNATIC*

12 Mites in a vehicle on island (5) ACARI {A}{CAR}I}

13 Discussion about extreme of lassitude with cocaine withdrawal (9) SECESSION {S{l...dE}{C}ESSION}

14 Rehab centre in hospital's lousy! Yeah, so awful (7,5) HALFWAY HOUSE {H}{YEAH+SO+AWFUL}*

18 Thoughtless rogue defrauds girl (12) DISREGARDFUL*

21 New club has retro band (9) ORCHESTRA {C+HAS+RETRO}*

23 Food around noon as planned (5) MEANT {MEA{N}T}

24 Celebrate in fancy resort around lunchtime (7) ROISTER {RO{1}STER*}

25 Most important person in family starting to prattle, enthralled by drink (7) KINGPIN {KIN}{G{Pr...e}IN}

26 Himalayan native and girl in health resort (6) SHERPA {S{HER}PA}

27 Writer enthralled by ultimate hard drug, one causing sorrow to be forgotten (8) NEPENTHE {NE{PEN}T}{H}{E}

DOWN

1   Italian model initially under scrutiny (6) TUSCAN {T}{Un..r}{SCAN}

2   Frenzied woman and guy consuming ecstasy on a date (6) MAENAD {MA{E}N}{A}{D}

3   Break up as boyfriend imbibes, continues to drink (9) DISSIPATE {D{IS}{SIP}ATE}

4   Hair starting to fall, right? Operation certain to tackle medical problem (6,8) STRESS FRACTURE {TRESS}{Fall}{R}{ACT} in {SURE}

6   Declines to entertain new girl (5) AGNES {AG{N}ES}

7   Thing I rue terribly - ignoring husband's love affair (8) INTRIGUE {ThING+I+RUE}*

8   Assisted criminal in vile deeds (8) SECONDED {SE{CON}DED*}

9   Coach's advice to rugby players lifting device (5,3,6) BLOCK AND TACKLE [DD]

15 High society females heartily entertained by hot nude male models (4,5) HAUT MONDE {femAles} in {HOT+NUDE+M}*

16 Interrupts a con stealing Japanese vases (8) ADJOURNS {A}{D{J}O}{URNS}

17 Discovered silicon close to the area of folded rock strata (8) ISOCLINE {SILICON+thE}*

19 Prince in trouble facing tense reprimand (6) CARPET {CAR{P}E}{T}

20 Princess wanting separate carriage (6) STANCE diSTANCE

22 Legally bar shadiest opium houses (5) ESTOP [T]

Reference List

Island = I, Cocaine = C, Hospital = H, Club = C, Noon = N, Ultimate = NET, Model = T, Ecstasy = E, Date = D, Right = R, New = N, Husband = H, Male = M, Japanese = J, Prince = P, Tense = T, Princess = DI