No 14282, Tuesday 17 Sep 2024, Afterdark

Artwork by Prasanna for Vishwakarma day

Solution to 23D 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   Say, diamond prices to US, one had to recalibrate (8,5) PRECIOUS STONE {PRICES+TO+US+ONE}*

10 Reject original sound track, one should primarily enter contest (9) OSTRACISE {Or...l}{So..d}{Tr..k}{RAC{1}{Sh...d}E}

11 Expression of approval from supporter, very outstanding basically (5) BRAVO {BRA}{Very}{Ou...g}

12 Triple compound of nitre... (5) TRINE*

13 ...say, found on border, towards US (9) STATESIDE {STATE}{SIDE}

14 Labours seen at corner have starter of soup (6) SWEATS {SW}{EAT}{Soup}

16 Counter provided some nachos, apples, oranges in the last-minute (5) FINAL {IF<=}{Na...s}{Ap...s}L L from?

19 Former NZ cricketer is a rabbit (5) CONEY [DD]

20 Seaming wicket in first ground behind South End primarily (6) SEWING {W}{IN}{Gr...d}<=>{S}{End}

25 Unusual manual, so First Officer's confounded (9) ANOMALOUS {MANUAL+SO+Of...r}*

26 Country special in a mess (5) SPAIN {SP}{IN+A}*

27 Plant in garden placed behind electricity meter (5) EMBED {BED}<=>{E}{M}

28 Pastor Frost at stage between 8 pm and 10 pm IST (5,4) PRIME TIME {P}{RIME}{TIME}

29 Kindly suggest new heater to be given to daughter (13) TENDERHEARTED {TENDER}{HEATER*}{D}

DOWN

2   Say, advance for shopkeeper to issue 50 for note (8) RETAINER RETAI(-l+n)NER

3   Primarily cringe-worthy, destroy trend (5) CRAZE {Cr...y}{RAZE}

4   Say, windows in old town-house (vacated) is redundant (6) OTIOSE {IOS} in {O}{To...sE}

5   Outline track is incomplete near a city, say (8) SCENARIO {SCENt}{A}{RIO}

6   Mixed water, ale and some bourbon in the dishes (9) TABLEWARE {WATER+ALE+Bo...n}*

7   Initially not interested in procuring AC in compound (6) NIACIN {Not}{In...d}{AC}{IN}{

8   Unborn child be enemy to US ? No nothing. (6) FOETUS {FOE}{To}{US}

9   King of Rajasthan employed ambitious leaders from a peninsular region in Asia (5) KOREA  Acrostic

15 For a change, wanted HOD who's ambidextrous (3-6) TWO-HANDED*

17 Erratic bowler without power, amateur, worse than expected (5,3) BELOW PAR {BOWLER}*{ over {P}{A}

18 OK to hire the greatest singer first and settle (8) FINALISE {FIN{ALI}{Si...r}E}

21 A bird is seen with princess during good times (6) GANNET {ANNE} in {G}{T}

22 Alter? Alter afterwards (5) LATER*

23 Possible to replace one with unionist as substitute (6) ?O?B?E (Addendum - DOUBLE DO(-a+u)UBLE - See comments)

24 Dream like prince having passion (6) ASPIRE {AS}{P}{IRE}

26 Sweden's Ministry of External Affairs rule is a slander (5) SMEAR {S}{MEA}{R}

Reference List

Supporter = BRA, Very = V, Wicket = W, South = S, Electricity = E, Meter = M, Pastor = P, Daughter = D, 50 = L, Note = N, Old = O, Power = P, Amateur = A, Greatest = ALI, Good = G, Times = T, Unionist = U, Prince = P, Sweden = S, Rule = R