No 14266, Thursday 29 Aug 2024, Pixie Dust

Solution to 6D 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   Comes back bare-chested? Right! (4,2) SPOT ON <=

5   Tempers curried sausages (8) ASSUAGES*

9   How ideas can be made available? (3-5) SET-ASIDE {IDEAS}* [RA] Semi&lit

10 The man composed 'Jana Gana Man' for one (6) ANTHEM*

11 High-spirited, nosy dates ignored for two models (10) METTLESOME ME(-dd+tt)TTLESOME

12 Bond's reluctant to start late (4) OATH lOATH

13 I returned device to Electrical Engineer's assistant (8) EMPLOYEE {ME<=}{PLOY}{EE}

16 Penny's almost lethargic and a bit silly in shopping centres (6) PLAZAS {P}{LAZy}{A}{Si..y}

17 Small party with island lobsters (6) SCAMPI {S}{CAMP}{I}

19 Leaving two states, performing without a choreographer basically (8) VACATING {VA}{CA}{acTING}

21 Get master to drop student (4) EARN lEARN

22 Judge and criminal met in suite almost on the dot (4,2,4) JUST IN TIME {J}{MET+IN+SUITe}*

25 Respect husband working in court but not taking sides (6) HONOUR {H}{ON}{cOURt}

26 Vents about that man's joints on radio (8) CHIMNEYS {C}{HIM}{(~knees}NEYS}

27 One present, a bit tardy, two hours before midnight, nearly yawning! (8) ATTENDEE {A}{Ta..y}{TEN}{DEEp}

28 Found time to miss (6) FORGET {FORGE}{T}

DOWN

2   Bit of rest for the listener (5) PIECE (~peace)

3   Drink after first signs of tiredness, oversensitiveness and snowballing tension (5) TOAST Acrostic

4   Simplicity from extraordinary navy tie (7) NAIVETY*

5   Wonderful afternoon, when everything's so overwhelmingly, magically ethereal at first (7) AWESOME Acrostic 

6   Look good! Meticulous with a sharp tie, you top the finalists! (5,2) S?A?E ?P (Addendum - SHAPE UP Tail Acrostic + See comments)

7   So a truant can be one who needs space to work? (9) ASTRONAUT*

8   Listen! Frost's drill results in peer pressure? (3,6) EYE STRAIN {(~ice)EYES}{TRAIN}

14 Somehow a dumb outback's not bad, maybe to fool around (4,5) MUCK ABOUT {a+dUMb+OUTBACK}*

15 Lose melon, bananas and fish (5,4) LEMON SOLE*

18 Bruised now, Jack's unusually rude (7) INJURED {IN}{J}{RUDE*}

19 Henry abandons car cracked by second bump (7) VESICLE {VEhICLE} over {S}

20 Cowardly about one fight (7) CAITIFF {CA}{1}{TIFF}

23 Smarter one tries to display elevated orientation (5) TENOR [T<=]

24 Reverend's lament? Your's truly, perhaps (5) MAYBE (~bay me to maybe)

Reference List

Date = D, Model = T, Electrical = E, Engineer = E, Penny = P, Small = S, Island = I, Student = L, Judge = J, Husband = H, About = C, Time = T, Now = IN, Jack = J, Henry = H, Second = S, About = CA