No 14184, Saturday 25 May 2024, Dr. X

ACROSS

1   Class century with absolute self-confidence in test (8) CATEGORY {C}{A}{T{EGO}RY}

5   Roast meat made on vacation with starter of ravioli (6) HAMMER {HAM}{MadE}{Ra...i}

10 Picture of beau at rave, cuddling lady (7) TABLEAU {BEAU+AT}* over {L}

11 Nymphs in lingerie outside entrance to nightclub (7) UNDINES {UNDI{Ni...b}ES}

12 One seen in bathroom with female, drunk (5) FLUSH  {F}{LUSH}

13 Let's honour hospital staff  - too fantastic (4,3,2) HATS OFF TO {H}{STAFF+TOO}*

14 Day-to-day expenses of training for marathons? (7,5) RUNNING COSTS [DD]

18 Partly separated from terrible cheat, crushed by revolting misdeed (12) SEMIDETACHED {CHEAT}* in {MISDEED}

21 Girl abandons inhibitions finally in secluded retreat - getting rubber (9) ELASTOMER {LASs} in {REMOTE<=}

23 Thousand on road in America for race (5) KURDS {K}{U{RD}S} 

24 Altogether fascinated by short story (2,5) IN TOTAL {INTO}{TALe} 

25 European commission ignoring England's latest issue (7) EMANATE {E}{MANdATE} 

26 Restrain director probing alien contraption (6) GADGET {GA{D}G}{ET}

27 Sad and tense about getting sanctioned (8) ASSENTED* 

DOWN

1   Cold and cough essentially, aristocrat's isolated (3,3) CUT OFF {C}{coUgh}{TOFF} 

2   Trip over a boy's small drum (6) TABOUR  {T{A}{B}OUR}

3   Younger daughter, excited to eat hot dog (9) GREYHOUND {YOUNGER+D} over {H}

4   Blunder to hug a male, drunk and disorderly (5-3-6) ROUGH AND TUMBLE {BLUNDER+TO+HUG+A+M}* 

6   Increase in commotion about heartless despot (3,2) ADD TO {AD{De..oT}O} 

7   Guy provided fancy set for show (8) MANIFEST {MAN}{IF}{SET*} 

8   Wrong! Press one for answer (8) RESPONSE* 

9   What podiatrist might be doing without hesitation for economising (7,7) CUTTING CORNERS {CUTTING CORNS} over {ER} 

15 Defeat in start of contest? Hell, team's terrible (9) CHECKMATE  {Co...t}{HECK}{TEAM*}

16 Escorting woman in posh club (8) USHERING {SHE} in {U}{RING} 

17 Gave gift hamper, mainly clothes (8) IMPARTED {IMP{ART}EDe} 

19 Student bunking school, throwing tantrum endlessly (6) TRUANT {TANTRUm}* 

20 Take off clothes finally in naughty dance (6) ASCEND {c...eS} in {DANCE}* 

22 Invest, it helps to save tax (5) TITHE [T] 

Reference List

Century = C, Absolute = A, Lady = L, Female = F, Hospital = H, Thousand = K, Road = RD, European = E, Director = D, Alien = ET,  Cold = C, Aristocrat = TOFF, Boy = B, Daughter = D, Hot = H, Male = M, Commotion = ADO, Hesitation = ER, Posh = U