No 14233, Monday 22 Jul 2024, Dr. X

Solution to 26A 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   Royal Air Force in undercover operation doing this? (8) STRAFING {ST{RAF}ING} Semi&lit

5   Ethnic people from Vanuatu are graceful (6) TUAREG [T]

10 Live long and securely in capital city (7) BELFAST {BE}{L}{FAST}

11 Wary of a dog - run frantically (2,5) ON GUARD*

12 Fish is orca, moving closer to beach (5) ROACH {ORCA*}{b..cH}

13 Old president in charge rejected act intentionally (2,7) ON PURPOSE {O}{RU{P}N<=}{POSE}

14 Crazy incident involving associate turning blue on a drug (3,2,1,6) MAD AS A HATTER {M{A}{SAD<=}{A}{H}ATTER}

18 Oh my God! Hound twisting to bound over cougar is astonishing (4,8) GOOD GRACIOUS {DO{O}G<=}{COUGAR+IS}*

21 German diet's heavy, having ultimately terrible gas with bit of tummy upset (9) REICHSTAG {R{t...lE}ICH}{GAS+Tu..y}*

23 Forget about divorce essentially and relax (5) LOOSE {LO{divOrce}SE}

24 Sheltered part with cover over spot around back of cottage (3,4) LEE SIDE {L{SEE<=}ID}{c...gE}

25 Shocking deceit with bit of arsenic in cold drink (4,3) ICED TEA {DECEIT+Ar...c}*

26 Investigates charges involving top star's son (6) S?S?E? (Addendum - SUSSES {SU{St..s}{S}ES} - See comments)

27 Husband overwhelmed by cocaine and drink becomes tearful (6,2) CHOKES UP {C{H}OKE}{SUP}

DOWN

1   Star conceals rifle, about to give bribe (6) SUBORN {SU{ROB<=}N}

2   Wild leopard killing prince! Put more bullets in gun (6) RELOAD LEOpARD*

3   Force hit outlaw with good stun grenade (9) FLASHBANG {F}{LASH}{BAN}{G}

4   Start to trek in Montana, inhale fresh country air (8,6) NATIONAL ANTHEM {Trek} in {MONTANA+INHALE}*

6   One who encourages boy avoiding fast food item (5) URGER bURGER

7   Chooses again to study and tops easily (8) READOPTS {READ}{TOPS*}

8   Wander, say, all round to inspect collection of devices (8) GADGETRY {GAD}{EG}{TRY} 

9 &15 Insane reason for halting card game (3,7,4,1,4,4) NOT PLAYING WITH A FULL DECK [C&DD]

15 See 9

16 Sell grog, nuts and deep-fried snacks (3,5) EGG ROLLS*

17 Manages to drink peg, initially stumbles in state of stupefaction (8) DOPINESS {DO{PIN}ES}{St...s}

19 Sex, essentially uninhibited, breaking bed - extremely uproarious (6) COITUS {CO{u...hIb...d}{Up...uS}

20 Escape from eastern Cuba, breaking barrier quietly (6) DECAMP {D{E}{C}AM}{P}

22 Old lift in Idaho is enormous (5) HOISE [T]

Reference List

Long = L, Old = O, President = P, Associate = A, Drug = H, Over = O, Son = S, Husband = H, Cocaine = COKE, Prince = P, Force = F, Good = G, Boy = B, Wander = GAD, Eastern = E, Cuba = C, Quietly = P