No 14157, Wednesday 24 Apr 2024, Dr. X

Solution to 21A 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   Ordeal after girl in bash turned most intoxicated (8) TIGHTEST {TEST}<=>{H{G}IT<=}

5   Powder in back of closet - salt containing cocaine (6) TALCUM {c...eT}{AL{C}UM}

10 & 13 What DJs want everyone to do? Comply with what they want (5,2,5,4) DANCE TO THEIR TUNE [C&DD]

11 Small sample of antivenom in a lab (7) NOMINAL [T]

12 Son ignored insult in match (5) LIGHT sLIGHT

13 See 10

14 Cash, say, spent in altering film (6,6) TENNIS PLAYER {SPENT+IN}*{LAYER}

18 Retd bachelor about to marry someone who is much younger (3,3,6) ROB THE CRADLE*

21 Musical troupe is smooth, entertaining group with bit of blues (5,4) S?I?G ?A?D (Addendum - SWING BAND {S{WING}{Bl..s}AND} - See comments)

23 Abandon movement to secure independence (5) WAIVE {WA{I}VE}

24 A rebellious chap consuming ecstasy on island getting cold and pale (7) ANAEMIC {A}{M{E}AN<=}{I}{C}

25 Talk foolishly with woman after starting to become drunk (7) BLITHER {HER}<=>{Be...e}{LIT}

26 Crushed oilseed yielding ordinary oil (6) DIESEL oILSEED

27 Assess racehorse gambolling round shed (8) RESEARCH RACEHoRSE*

DOWN

1   Slightly drunk in bar, lazily cuddling date (6) TIDDLY {T}{ID{D}LY}

2   Ornamental tree in good tattoo on head (6) GINKGO {G}{INK}{GO}

3   Hitter went berserk, scoring runs in last over of IPL match (9) TWENTIETH {HITTEr+WENT}*

4   Reasonable likelihood of force catching person (8,6) SPORTING CHANCE*

6   American male picking up joint with hesitation in Indian city (5) AJMER {A}{J}{M}{ER}

7   Perhaps as bouncy as cylindrical channel markers (3,5) CAN BUOYS*

8   Happy to conserve extremely unusual British tree (8) MULBERRY {M{Un...aL}{B}ERRY}

9   Bend a rule craftily to secure position as expected (14) UNDERSTANDABLE {BEND+A+RULE}* over {STAND}

15 Faultless liberal beginning to irritate the wily rogue (4-5) LILY-WHITE {L}{Ir...e}{THE+WILY}*

16 Supporter on top of stage runs wearing blue armband (8) BRASSARD {BRA}{St..e}{SA{R}D}

17 Decline to tackle detectives on reflection and surrender (8) ABDICATE {AB{DIC}<= ATE}

19 Nobody backs film star releasing flops essentially (6) CIPHER {PIC<=}{HERo}

20 Make out with hot model over area around fireplace (6) HEARTH {HEAR} with {H}{T}<=

22 Easy putt in golf that is over millimetres (5) GIMME {G}{I{MM}E}

Reference List

Girl = G, Cocaine = C, Son = S, Independence = I, Ecstacy = E, Island = I, Cold = C, Ordinary = O, Bar = T, Date = D, Good = G, Runs = R, American = A, Male = M, Joint = J, British = B, Liberal = L, Supporter = BRA, Hot = H, Model = T, Golf = G