No 14294, Tuesday 01 Oct 2024, Saral

Solution to 14A 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

7   Insects biting national university records (7) MINUTES {MI{N}{U}TES}

8   Motivate physical training including sport (6) PROPMT {P{ROMP}T}

9   See rot spreading in a type of system (6) STEREO*

10 Space travel perplexing and all the rage before (8) INTERVAL {TRAVEL}*<=>{IN}

11 Safeguard damaged nerve point (10) PREVENTION*

13 Remove hut (4) SHED [DD]

14 Mark replaced by director in film shoot (4) ?C?D (Addendum - SCUD SCU(-m+d)D - See comments)

16 Regularly pick your cocoa plant (5) YUCCA {YoUr+CoCoA}

18 Returning goods, mostly beds (4) COTS STOCk<=

19 Spoke against wager (4) ANTE (~anti)

21 Can add crushed anise on dressing (10) MAYONNAISE {MAY}{ANISE+ON}*

23 Ignored source of smoke burning (8) SLIGHTED {Sm..e}{LIGHTED}

25 Mainly cultivating dry fruit (6) RAISIN RAISINg

26 Originally Ramayana scene broadcast in show (6) SCREEN {Ra...a+SCENE}*

27 Men guarding the Spanish places of worship (7) CHAPELS {CHAP{EL}S}

DOWN

1   Often teens with democrat supporting grand party is impressed (8) ENGRAVED {tEeNs}{D} over {G}{RAVE}

2   Lawyer at competition not classy (8) ATTORNEY {AT}{TOuRNEY}

3   Bottled fantastic wine (4) ASTI [T]

4   Exact place with old name (4-2) SPOT-ON {SPOT}{O}{N}

5   Caught rare boas, slithering snakes (6) COBRAS {C}{R+BOAS}*

6   Open rift against angry papa (8) APPARENT {RENT}<=>{PAPA*}

7   Mother in Spain boarding tram, perhaps (5) MATER {MAT{E}R*}

12 Impatient child breaking one case of toy (5) ITCHY {1}{To{CH}Y}

15 Struggle of cheat to move quickly, smuggling cocaine (8) CONFLICT {CON}{FLI{C}T}

17 Curious criminal chasing drunk baron with maiden (8) ABNORMAL {AL}<=>{BARON+M}*

18 Harry at first learning certain musical instrument (8) CLARINET {Le...g+CERTAIN}*

20 Oriental gales startled birds (6) EAGLES {E}{GALES*}

21 Freakish worker following short dog (6) MUTANT {ANT}<=>{MUTt}

22Some risk in scraping hides (5) SKINS [T]

24 Decorate floor of ship (4) DECK [DD]

Reference List

National = N,  University = U, Physical Training = PT, Mark = M, The in Spanish = EL, Democrat = D, Grand = G, Party = RAVE, Classy = U, Old = O, Name = N, Caught = C, Rare = R, Spain = E, Child = CH, Cocaine = C, Criminal = AL(Capone), Maiden = M, Oriental = E