No 14185, Monday 27 May 2024, Dr. X

Solution to 3D 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   Protest as money-grabbing politician backs gangster (8) COMPLAIN {CO{MP}{AL<=}IN}

5   Pastel blue sheets (6) PLATES*

10 Polish or Greek character enthralled by knocking back draughts (5,2) SPIFF UP {PI} in {PUFFS<=} 

11 Old train crashed round province in North America (7) ONTARIO {O}{TRAIN*}{O} 

12 Anal disorder involving fistula at centre of the buttocks (5) NATAL {NA{fisTula}AL*} 

13 Finale conducted by trio in fantastic performance (9) RENDITION {END} in {TRIO+IN}* 

14 Point beyond which one can no longer survive - it's terminal! (3,2,3,4) END OF THE LINE [DD] 

18 Correct! Love is fantastic for happiness (12) SATISFACTION {O+IS+FANTASTIC}* 

21 Witticism with nice cracks about lady chasing husband in conclusion of joke (9) PUNCHLINE {PUN}{NICE*} over {L}{<=>{H} 

23 Most hostile states (5) AVERS AVERSe 

24 Passion ending in marriage proposal (7) EMOTION {m...gE}{MOTION} 

25 Buck up a friend drinking at home on retirement (7) ANIMATE {A}{IN<=}{MATE} 

26 Exhausted in conclusion, scoring cocaine and ecstasy (6) EFFETE {EFFEcT}{E} 

27 Turn to cuddle miss when it's dark (8) BLACKOUT {B{LACK}OUT} 

DOWN

1   Covering crime in lock-up endlessly (6) CASING {CA{SIN}Ge} 

2   Half-time over, fantastic end to tourney (6) MOIETY {TIME+O}*{t...eY} 

3   Brief programme about elegant rescue devices (9) L?F?L?N?S (Addendum - LIFELINES {LI{FELINE}St} - See comments) 

4   Parodies Spooner! Man, it is funny (14) IMPERSONATIONS*

6   Weapon concealed by rebel at hideout (5) LATHI [T] 

7   Huge blunder in revolutionary outbreak by current leader of China (8) TERRIFIC {T{ERR}IF<=}{I}{China} 

8   Pampered nationalist in caricature by journalist (8) SPOONFED {SPOO{N}F}{ED} 

9   Night we got high, drinking booze heartily with everyone collapsing (5,2,3,4) GOING TO THE WALL {NIGHT+WE+GOT}* over {boOze} and {ALL} 

15 Self-centred person, one involved in a con game perhaps (9) EGOMANIAC {1} in {A+CON+GAME}* 

16 Pioneers new chemical compound (8) ISOPRENE*  

17 Draw small brown shed (5-3) STAND-DOFF  {S}{TAN}{DOFF}

19 Lie back, proceed to eat ice cream (6) GELATO  {G{TALE<=}O} 

20 Help to accumulate runs and declare (6) ASSERT {ASSE{R}T} 

22 Jack Daniels heartily consumed by emcee (5) HOIST {HO{danIels}ST} 

Reference List

Gangster = AL(Capone), Old = O, Lady = L, Husband = H, Cocaine = C, Ecstasy = E, Over = O, Nationalist = N, Journalist = ED, Small = S, Runs = R