No 14295, Wednesday 02 Oct 2024, Vidwan

Artwork by Prasanna

Solution to 27A 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   Weak fumble around! Bold live on the edge! (6) FEEBLE {FEE{B}L}{livE}

4   Did men lay about in the mood? (6) MINDED*

9   Unemployed evacuated for heartless elite (4) FREE {FoR}{ElitE}

10 Liberal presenter introducing India's primary concern (10) ENTERPRISE {ENTERPR{In..a}SE*}

11 Understand cops? Hard for segregated minority! (6) GHETTO {GET} over {H} and {TO}

12 The best fellow drops in (8) FLAGSHIP {F}{LAGS}{HIP}

13 Sensual, generous love arouses (9) EROGENOUS {GENEROUS+O}*

15 Sphere of zen exercises encompassing love! (4) ZONE {Z{O}NE*}

16 Colliery ambience, now and then! (4) MINE aMbIeNcE

17 Speed, speed and speed, switched-on for long distance traveller (9) SPACESHIP {S}{PACE}{S}{HIP}

21 Electrical switch is sort of a resistance tool (8) ISOLATOR {IS}{A+R+TOOL}*

22 Rotating its head, deer turns back towards right to find an antelope! (6) REEBOK {BEER<=}{OK} d rotated becomes b

24 First proper gold ring (10) PRIMORDIAL {PRIM}{OR}{DIAL}

25 Count, without queen's support, is dead (4) NUMB NUMBer

26 Dig air around new leader of Labour (6) TUNNEL {TU{N}NE}{La...r}

27 Most come in contact with divined image (6) ?I?I?N 

DOWN

1   More hair, different, trimmed at the front (7) FURTHER {FUR}{oTHER}

2   Not softly, not loudly, perfect pitch! (5) ERECT pERfECT

3   Wild one going off to rest (3,4) LIE DOWN*

5   Attack and raid on poor (6) INROAD*

6   Mockeries of ganglords entertaining ex-queen and spies from neighbourhood (9) DERISIONS {D{ER}{ISI}ONS}

7   Fate creeps in clandestinely (7) DESTINE [T]

8   Fights back at the start! Heads to higher position with every failure! Ignoring society! That is stoicism! (5,5,3) STIFF UPPER LIP {(+s)STIFF(-s)}{UP}{PER}{sLIP}

14 Noble land has new Latin name from the South (9) GENTLEMAN {GE{N}T}{L}{NAME<=}

16 Furry creature with ape-men, possibly for amusement park! (7) MUSKRAT {aMUSemenT+pARK}* [CA]

18 Composer's heart rears evil (7) CORELLI {CORE}{ILL<=}

19 Working male in an Islamic Republic, a hero! (7) IRONMAN {IR{ON}{M}AN}

20 Staff has right to strip (6) STARVE {STA{R}VE}

23 When nuisance camouflages boredom? (5) ENNUI [T]

Reference List

Bold = B, Hard = H, Fellow = F, In = HIP, Speed = S, Resistance = R, Queen = ER, New = N, Softly = P, Loudly = F, Society = S, Latin = L, Male = M, Right = R