No 14256, Saturday 17 Aug 2024, Afterdark

ACROSS

9   Greed of a new vicar exposed at the beginning (7) AVARICE {A}{VICAR*}{Ex...d}

10 Fictional captain visiting a new engineering plant (7) ANEMONE {NEMO} in {A}{N}{E}

11 Increase in tax collection at first time split into three (7) TRISECT {RISE} in {Tax}{Co...n}{T} 

12 Laugh at thief in Delhi, primarily trying ludicrous efforts (7) CHORTLE {CHOR}{Tr...g}{Lu...s}{Ef...s}

13 Root vegetable, tuber cultivated with sage (5,4) SUGAR BEET {TUBER+SAGE}*

15 Bay is quiet and away (5) SHOUT {SH}{OUT}

16 British American vessels capsize at the boarding point (3,4) BUS STOP {B}{US}{POTS<=}

19 Pass with support at English institution (7) COLLEGE {COL}{LEG}{E}

20 Men with child at Indian state struggle initially (5) CHAPS {CH}{AP}{St...e}

21 Infection caught by elderly on rise reportedly by touching sulphur (4,5) COLD SORES {C}{OLD}{(~soar)SORE}{S}

25 Concerning story, losing heart in struggle for rescue (7) RELIEVE {RE}{LIE}{ViE}

26 Auditor's more reserved with bank employee (7) CASHIER {CA}{SHIER}

28 Users in trouble at dawn (7) SUNRISE*

29 Second team, overcoming heat edges away at beach (7) SEASIDE {S}{hEAt}{SIDE}

DOWN

1   An insect becomes million insects all over island (6) MANTIS {M}{ANT{I}S}

2   Bleaching pool first and adding a fish (6) PALING {Pool}{A}{LING}

3   Relative can be heartless or pleasant (4) NICE NIeCE

4   1000? Scratching head to pay for metal container (6) KETTLE {K}{sETTLE}

5   A controlled substance found at northern Indian town kept on ice mostly (8) NARCOTIC {N}{ARCOT}{ICe}

6   Fish smell, nose is troubled; inhaling oxygen (5,5) LEMON SOLES {SMELL+NOSE}* over {O}

7   Tired of store stocking egg disorganised (8) FOOTSORE {OF+STORE+O}*

8   Writer is in trap, he is getting a drug as a remedy for grief (8) NEPENTHE {NE{PEN}T}{HE}

14 Cooking method for say, chapati set, south comes first (10) ROTISSERIE {ROTI} with {SERIES}<=>{S}

16 Support for sitting in vehicle is upside down, needs top reportedly (8) BACKREST  {CAB<=}{(~crest)KREST}

17 Surprising lack of temperature in the middle for bird (8) STARLING STARtLING

18 Select one fish across river to get another fish (8) PICKEREL {PICK}{E{R}EL}

22 Grasshopper on pea tree (6) LOCUST [DD]

23 Dried grape is growing almost (6) RAISIN RAISINg

24 Scream at new hires stuck at the back (6) SHRIEK {HIRES*}{s..cK}

27 Attack Sri Lankan Army with mortars basically (4) SLAM {SLA}{Mo...s}

Reference List

New = N, Engineering = E, Time = T, Thief in Delhi = CHOR, Quiet = SH, British = B, Pass = COL, English = E, Child = CH, Caught = C, Concerning = RE, Auditor = CA, Second = S, Million = M, Island = I, 1000 = K, Northern = N, South = S, Temperature = T, River = R