No 14239, Monday 29 Jul 2024, Karaoke

Solution to 1D 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   Mrs. Mop hugs doctor and engineer in the meeting place (7) CHAMBER {CHA{MB}{E}R}

5   Light bang in rift (3,4) GAS LAMP {GA{SLAM}P}

9   Doctor enthralled by Chinese leader's dance (5) MAMBO {MA{MB}O}

10 American traffic policewoman fulfilled fantastic dream to conceive child inside (5,4) METER MAID {MET}{ERMA{chIld}D*}

11 4444 - This is how some animals walk! (10)(2,3,5) ON ALL FOURS Rebus Enu should be (2,3,5) See comments

12 Conclusions of far too long creature (4) FROG [Tail acrostic]

14 Friendly personal assistant leaves for public transport that's likely to catch fire (11) COMBUSTIBLE {COM(-pa+bus)BUSTIBLE}

18 Perhaps lives with long dream for this? (6,5) SILVER MEDAL {LIVES+L+DREAM}* Semi&lit?

21 Economical with the truth and fiction ultimately, right? (4) LIEN {LIE}{f...oN}

22 Foreign enemy wins second tournament after taking hint to become rich (10)(2,3,5) IN THE MONEY {EM{tOu...t}NEY*}<=>{HINT}* Enu should be (2,3,5) See comments

25 Feel depressed? Come to earth (9) TOUCHDOWN {TOUCH}{DOWN}

26 Vagrant mixing essence of lemon in gin (5) TRAMP {TRA{leMon}P}

27 Studio settled dues for strips (7) DENUDES {DEN}{DUES*}

28 As may be seen regularly, Indian cars go up in smoke (7) ARSENIC {SeEn+I+CARS}*

DOWN

1   Usual encouragement gets man to forget exhaustion primarily (6) C?M?O? (Addendum - COMMON {COM(-e+m)M ON} - See comments)

2   Provide room and protective garment for player (3,3) ARM PAD {ARM}{PAD}

3   Toady spoils fight, Spooner says (10) BOOTLICKER (loot bicker to bootlicker)

4   Ladies' man comes after Quebec, NATO revealed (5) ROMEO {...Quebec, Romeo...)

5   Worried about going into land in skirt (3,6) GET AROUND {G{ATE<=}ROUND} 

6   A female forgot expedition gear (4) SARI SafARI

7   One bear fights with a creature that lives without oxygen (8) ANAEROBE {ONE+BEAR+A}*

8   Position announced after exercise causes strain (8) PEDIGREE {(~degree)DIGREE}<=>{PE}

13 Ties of old opposite numbers (10) STALEMATES {STALE}{MATES}

15 World-shattering doctors acquiring English books by American! (9) MOMENTOUS {MO}{M{E}{NT}O}{US}

16 Out-of-the-way ladies to go berserk (7) ISOLATED*

17 I run for gin of poor quality (4,4) BLUE RUIN {I+RUN}* [RA]

19 Item held by moneylender's wife in fashionable container (2,4) IN PAWN {IN}{PA{W}N}

20 Setter's work with insolvable clue, primarily thoughtless (6) MYOPIC {MY}{OP}{In...e}{Clue}

23 Shrub from old Madras central (5) HENNA cHENNAi 

24 Peel off outhouse (4) SHED [DD]

Reference List

Doctor = MB, Engineer = E, Long = L, Indian = I, Man = M, Female = F, Exercise = PE, Doctor = MO, English = E, Books = NT(New Testament), Wife = W