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 Excessive consumption of alcohol in big dinner parties by star (5,8) BINGE DRINKING {BIG+DINNER}*{KING}
8 Martial arts instructor's endless wisdom (5) SENSE SENSEi
9 Macho male is perhaps taking special pleasure in being dominated (9) MASOCHISM {MACHO+M+IS} over {S}
11 Growing trend of crash dieting is primarily ridiculous (6,4) RISING TIDE* {DIETING+IS+Ri...s}*
12 Stand by one breaking down on retirement (4) ?A?S (Addendum - DAIS {SA{1}D<=}- See comments))
14 New jockey crushed by mistake, getting more jittery (7) NERVIER {N}{ER{VIE}R}
16 Confront prince - chucked cup of tea angrily (7) OUTFACE {CUp+OF+TEA}*
17 Clear the dirty boxes connected electrically to the ground (7) EARTHED [T]
21 Horseman terrified to tackle rebellious Italian mount (4) ETNA [T<=]
22 Not lucrative to maintain university for bird-rearing (10) AVICULTURE {LUCRATIVE}* over {U}
25 Male star playing lead in Chinatown as a clever dick (5,4) SMART ALEC {MALE+STAR}*{Ch...n}
26 Good deception, snaring Dravid at first slip (5) GLIDE {G}{LI{Dr...d}E}
27 Reason to visit trichologist leads to quibbling (4-9) HAIR-SPLITTING [DD]
DOWN
2 Device improving air quality inside - infection is eradicated (7) IONISER [T]
3 Endlessly kiss lady in darkness? OK! (5,5) GREEN LIGHT {GREEt}{N{L}IGHT}
4 Resign from department over issue (5) DEMIT {D}{EMIT}
6 High boot (4) KICK [DD]
7 One enthralled by knocking back drink at a Japanese city (7) NIIGATA {GI{1}N<=}{AT}{A}
8 Eccentricity of one on dope, overwhelmed by tension (11) STRANGENESS {STR{AN}{GEN}ESS}
10 Outstanding work by team with precise moves (11) MASTERPIECE {TEAM+PRECISE}*
13 Error found in minute - it will brighten things up! (5,5) STRIP LIGHT {S{TRIP}LIGHT}
15 Rebuild deep love, making up after a little rift (9) REDEVELOP {DEEP+LOVE}<=>{Rift}
20 Escape in mounting commotion, stealing large carbuncle at centre (7) ELUSION {NOISE<=} over {L}{c..bUn..e}
24 Wanting a set of steps for song and dance (4) STIR STaIR
Reference List
Special = S, New = N, Prince = P, University = U, Good = G, Lady = L, Department = D, Victory = V, Dope = GEN, Gun = GAT, Large = L
Mystery of the Missing Pair
ReplyDeleteIt is UNDERSTANDABLE, why the husband and wife are not here today. After ROBBING THE CRADLE, they are on their honey moon, in AJMER, DANCING TO THEIR TUNE, played by a SWING BAND. In the candle LIGHT, she looks beautiful in her LILY WHITE gown with MULBERRY blossoms in her hair.
Thanx to the Doc, the husband is only TIDDLY and not the TIGHTEST man on the dance floor.
It's OK to have 'Do not disturb' sign outside the door. Dr.X has given the green signal today!!!
ReplyDeleteGowri @ Nice write-up on mystery of the missing pair! 😊
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteIn 22ac - 'not' is angrind? Is it acceptable?
ReplyDeleteLink for NOT
Deletehttps://www.the-crossword-solver.com/
NOT with 6 letters
ReplyDeleteNOT
DENIAL
6
NOT
REPEAL
6
NOT
SWITCH
May be the last one works!
Thank you MB. Goid clarification.
Delete12a DAIS = Stand
ReplyDeleteSAD = Down, reversed DAS
I = One, inserted = DA+I+S
Breaking = Insertion ind.
On retirement = reversal ind.
I also had doubts in
ReplyDelete3dn - kiss is greet?
24dn - song and dance is stir?
Learning everyday.
Managed to finish.
My fav
GREEN LIGHT, STRANGENESS, HAIR SPLITTING.
Thanx Doc!
Let us not split hairs and accept Dr' s way to greet!!
ReplyDeleteVladimir was
ReplyDeleteSPLITTING HIS HAIR!
A moment ago Anna was here;
Now to be seen nowhere!
He had been BINGE DRINKING,
INSIDIOUSLY trying to choose
between the
GREEN LIGHT and the
STRIP LIGHT;
SMART ALEC, that he was,
couldn't help feeling NERVIER;
Pretending to be interested in AVICULTURE,
he'd UNEARTHED her secrets in all their STRANGENESS!
Now he just had to SPICE UP their romance and STIR the passion in her, by showing her his MASTERPIECE!
In the 2 minutes, that he took to call up NIIGATTA and give his name,
she had shown him - ELUSION was her game!
He could KICK himself
or REDEVELOP the plot
to know
What happened next?
In Niigatta, There was a lot of galatta!
ReplyDelete😅😅😅
Delete