No 14104, Thursday 22 Feb 2024, Dr. X

Solution to 12A 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 & 24 What demolition workers might do to make audience applaud enthusiastically (5,3,5,4) BRING THE HOUSE DOWN [DD]

8   Allow member to enter passage into mine (5) ADMIT {AD{M}IT}

9   Incessant drinking - starting to become aloof (9) UNBENDING {UN{Be...e}ENDING}

11 Money gone, stolen outside West Hollywood (10) TINSELTOWN {TIN}{SELTO{W}N*}

12 Declining number of bees in capital of Polynesian country (4) ?P?A (Addendum - APIA APIAn - See comments)

14 Fellow entertaining a crowd endlessly in Mexican city (7) GUAYMAS {GU{A}Y}{MASs}

16 Gap in combustible rock without carbon is shaped like an egg (7) OVOIDAL {cO{VOID}AL}

17 One making allegations about rebellious cocaine addict (7) ACCUSER {CA<=}{C}{USER}

19 Media magnate is often defending Republican party (7) MURDOCH {MU{R}{DO}CH}

21 Debonair billionaire touring revolutionary city in Middle East (4) IBRI [T<=]

22 Try sweets perhaps after ordinary seafood dish (6,4) OYSTER STEW {TRY+SWEETS}*<=>{O}

25 Analysis of real-time info finally becoming better (9) MELIORATE {REAL+TIME+infO}*

26 CPR, oxygen saves delegate (5) PROXY [T]

27 Pay for stable over exotic isle in due course (2,4,7) AT ONES LEISURE {ATONE}{S{ISLE*}URE}

DOWN

2   Old chap abducted by revolting character in European country (7) ROMANIA {O}{MAN} in {AIR<=}

3   Lowest possible rent, home's close to market (10) NETHERMOST {RENT+HOMES}*{m...eT}

4   Dump husband, press for custody (5) TRUST ThRUST

5   Bowl more craftily, allowing no space (5,4) ELBOW ROOM*  {BOWL+MORE}* over {0}

6   Has drinks, loses head (4) OWNS dOWNS

7   Skidded and hurtled over edge (7) SLIPPED {S{LIP}PED}

8   Visual problem in a spot with murky mist (11) ASTIGMATISM {A}{STIGMA}{MIST*}

10 Girl entertaining old wealthy rogue to have sex (2,3,3,3) GO ALL THE WAY {G{O}AL}{WEALTHY*}

13 Very mean reviews in press primarily show envious reaction (4,6) SOUR GRAPES {SO}{URG{PAR<=}E}{Show}

15 They are used by graffiti artists in bridges to cover beam with bit of colour (5,4) SPRAY CANS {SP{RAY}{Co...r}ANS}

18 Piece of armour of king in fancy closet (7) CORSLET {CO{R}SLET*}

20 Come first, getting gold in the open air (7) OUTDOOR {OUTDO}{OR}

23 Gist of article on case of malpractice (5) THEME {THE}{Ma...cE}

24 See 1 Across

Reference List

Member = M, Money = TIN, West = W, About = CA, Cocaine = C, Republican = R, Party = Do, Ordinary = O, Old = O, Husband = H, Mean = PAR, King = R