No 14193, Wednesday 05 Jun 2024, Saral

Solution to 21D 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   Approach accountant over tax (6) ACCESS {CA<=}{CESS}

5   Bliss? Maybe around home with good blood relatives (8) SIBLINGS {SIBL{IN}{G}S*}

9   Run almost up to a small fleet of ships (8) FLOTILLA {FLOw}{TILL}{A}

10 Victor facing an issue in fog (6) VAPOUR {V}{A}{POUR}

11 Improvement of state primarily lauded by international newspaper (6) UPLIFT {UP}{{La...d}{I}{FT}

12 At first distributing unlimited provision for a period (8) DURATION {Di...g}{Un...d}{RATION}

13 Rivals fight over each statement from the beginning (4) FOES Acrostic

14 Young sages possibly in Jewish places of worship (10) SYNAGOGUES*

16 Onlookers distracted actor's step (10) SPECTATORS*

18 Weak border infiltrated by leader of militants (4) LIMP {LI{Mi...s}P}

20 A special gold bagged by help backing migrants (8) DIASPORA {DI{A}{SP}{OR}A<=}

22 Disturbance in stomach, extremely upset swallowing essential tablets (6) TUMULT {TUM}{Ups{tabLets}eT}

23 Barbarian society right away plunder (6) SAVAGE {S}{rAVAGE}

24 Episode nine broadcast without CID trailer initially (8) INCIDENT {IN{CID}EN*}{Tr...r}

25 Check fresh trainers (8) RESTRAIN*

26 Gift of story books (6) TALENT {TALE}{NT}

DOWN

2   Music company limiting new plays (7) CALYPSO {C{PLAYS*}O}

3   So chasing old coach leaving amateur outside? (9) EXTRINSIC {SIC}<=>{EX}{TRaIN}

4   Crack in bone following bad slip (5) SPLIT {T}<=>{SLIP*}

5   Praise deputy governor leading country, needing no introduction (8,7) STANDING OVATION {STAND IN}{GOV}{nATION}

6   Opening of bar always on time basically selling refreshments (9) BEVERAGES {Bar}{EVER}{AGE}{S}

7   Details of popular place (5) INPUT {IN}{PUT}

8   It's sweet lettuce in sticky stuff (7) GLUCOSE {GLU{COS}E}

14 Note time after an explosion in Dallas, say (4-5) SOAP-OPERA {SO} with {ERA}<=>{A}{POP} [Definition by example]

15 Perhaps glad about elderly setter getting first prize (4,5) GOLD MEDAL {G{OLD}{ME}DAL*}

17 Formal tea arranged for archbishop (7) PRIMATE {PRIM}{TEA*}

19 Line man using pigment (7) MELANIN*

21 Son's lingo is limited (5) S?A?T (Addendum - SCANT - {S}{CANT} - See comments)

22 Tight-lipped institute engaged in diplomacy (5) TACIT {TAC{I}T}

Reference List

Good = G, Victor = V, International = I, Newspaper = FT, Special = SP, Gold = OR, Stomach = TUM, Society = S, Books = NT, Company = CO, So = SIC, Old = EX, Bone = T, Right = R, Popular = IN, Lettuce = COS, Note = SO, Institute = I