No 14324, Thursday 07 Nov 2024, Arden

Solution to 26D 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   All at once left alone, abandoned - captives get nothing in return (2,3,4,5) AT ONE FELL SWOOP {LEFT+ALONE}*{PO{O}WS<=}}

10 One man collects millions in capital (5) AMMAN {A}{M{M}AN}

11 Coordinates sectarian trouble (9) CARTESIAN*

12 Sort out after West, say becomes a director (7) MAESTRO {SORT*}<=>{MAE}

13 Most orderly - a church or corporation? (7) STOMACH {MOST*}{A}{CH}

14 Vegetable is totally burnt, I'm told (5) CHARD (~charred)

16 Not a labour unrest, lost nothing in capital (4,5) ULAN BATOR {NOT+A+LABoUR}*

19 Refrigerant gets identical review from one in the lodge (9) FREEMASON {FRE{SAME<=}ON}

20 Topless French woman, redhead on wild grass (5) EMMER {fEMME}{Red}

22 Stop that, no time for fancy headwear (3,4) TOP HATS {STOP+THAt}*

25 It's a gamble to allow any activity, inactive now (7) ABEYANT {A}{BE{ANY*}T}

27 Unfulfilled hope about crude oil - refined oil for the people (3,6) HOI POLLOI {HOPe+OIL}*{OIL*}

28 Close to thirty in a group, until now (2,3) AS YET {A}{S{t...tY}ET}

29 Your reports about age, may be going beyond the call of duty (14) SUPEREROGATORY {YOUR+REPORTS+AGE}*

DOWN

2   Consumed with rage? On the contrary (9) TEMPERATE {ATE}<=>{TEMPER} &lit

3   Composition shows lack of connectivity (5) NONET {NO NET}

4   Love to support truth, must fix those hangers-on (9) FACTOTUMS {O}<=>{FACT} and {MUST*}

5   Seen in a blur, escapes decoys (5) LURES [T]

6   With seed money, not right to get too drunk (3,6) SEE DOUBLE {SEED}{rOUBLE}

7   Board for continental agreements (5) OUIJA {OUI}{JA}

8   With a huff and a puff she follows an animal (7) PANTHER {PANT}{HER}

9   It's criminal act to carry gun where airplanes are parked (6) TARMAC {T{ARM}AC*}

15 Perhaps enamoured by one's conduct (9) DEMEANOUR*

17 A news from London borough making things tough (9) ANNNEALING {A}{N}{N}{EALING}

18 Way metros run shows some character (3,6) TOM SAWYER*

19 Carries force, makes a mark (7) FETCHES {F}{ETCHES}

21 Get a torch, lift a bit and turn (6) ROTATE [T<=]

23 There is pressure all round the border, smarten-up (5) PRIMP {P}{RIM}{P}

24 Fly over the heart of Delhi with such energy (5) SOLAR {SO{deLhi}AR}

26 Pull their dress off, that's correct (5) E?A?T (Addendum - EXACT {EXtrACT} - See comments)

Reference List

Million = M, Church = CH, Time = T, Right = R, Agreement I French and German = OUI and JA, News =N, Force = F, Pressure = P