No 14311, Tuesday 22 Oct 2024, Dr. X

Solution to 17D 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   Horrible rogues troubling maiden on base (8) GRUESOME {ROGUES*}{M}{E}

5   Model beginning to seduce prince in party (6) SCULPT {Se...e}{CUL{P}T}

10 The German state is magnificent, captures traveller's heart (5) REICH {RI{t..vEl..r}CH}

11 Call accountant to check account, getting Jaguar's latest sports vehicle (6,3) RACING CAR {R{AC}ING}{CA}{j...aR}

12 & 24 Be alternatively occupied, as busy seafood chef might say? (4,5,4,2,3) HAVE OTHER FISH TO FRY [DD]

13 Check paperwork finally and sign again (5) REINK {REIN}{p...rK}

14 Removes one's clothes in voyage aboard ship (6) STRIPS {S{TRIP}S}

15 Please speak about fine model making a comeback (7) SATISFY {SAY} over {F}{SIT}<=

18 Threatens to tackle government beginning to abolish wine shops (7) BODEGAS {BODE{G}{Ab...h}S}

20 Suave rogue stealing lady's treasures (6) VALUES {VA{L}UES*}

22 Character spilling new brown pigment (5) UMBER nUMBER

24 See 12

25 Badly infected patient at centre is weak (9) DEFICIENT {INFECTED+patIent}*

26 Love to look at mountain nymph (5) OREAD {O}{READ}

27 Loves to host extremely important figures (6) DIGITS {DIG{Im...nT}S}

28 Spiders scurrying around bottom of table and chairs (8) PRESIDES {PR{t..lE}SIDES*}

DOWN

1   Good shirt, various sizes (6) GIRTHS {G}{SHIRT*}

2   Intoxicated nut in dive is unwelcome (9) UNINVITED*

3   Experiment with mutated virus at centre, scaring the docs (12,3) SCHRODINGERS CAT {viRus+SCARING+THE+DOCS}*

4   Tramps litter endlessly over bridge (7) MARCHES {M{ARCH}ESs}

6   Saluting actor on set for good job (15) CONGRATULATIONS* Semi&lit

7   Some broccoli, chickpeas, fruit (5) LICHI [T]

8   Old jailers run tests, extremely worried about escape perhaps (8) TURNKEYS {RUN+TestS} over {KEY}

9   Startles starlet at premiere with endless kiss (6) SCARES {St...t}{CARESs}

16 Fellow chasing woman on ground in English city (9) SHEFFIELD {F}<=>{SHE} and {FIELD}

17 Top seed knocked out! Noise in a ground increased (8) ?B?U?D?D (Addendum - ABOUNDED {A}{B{sOUND)ED} - See comments)

19 Hurt by endless rubbish about cuddling female (6) SUFFER {REFUSe<=} over {F}

20 Six chapatis sent up for guest (7) VISITOR {VI}{ROTIS<=}

21 Group of stars, close to many in the underworld (6) HYADES {H{manY{ADES}

23 Haze over swamp hampers force chasing fugitive finally (5) BEFOG {BOG} over {F}<=>{f...vE}

Reference List

Maiden = M, Base = E, Prince = P, Account = AC, Ship = SS, Fine = F, Government = G, Lady = L, New = N, Good = G, Fellow = F, Female = F, Force  F