No 14365, Wednesday 25 Dec 2024, Dr. X

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Artwork by Prasanna

Rangoli by Gowri

Solution to 13D 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 solve, if not solved by 1 PM.

ACROSS

1   Dead body over couch turned everyone tense in dance troupe (5,2,6) CORPS DE BALLET {CORPS{BED<=}{ALL}E}{T}

8   Start to scold lazy creep (5) SIDLE {Sc..d}{IDLE} 

9   Travel by train, checking estimated time of arrival (3,6) GET AROUND {G{ETA}ROUND}

11 Tough day in Tehran, bit anxious (4-6) HARD-BITTEN {D} in {TEHRAN+BIT}*

12 Stud on airplane cuddling Spanish lady (4) DONA [T]

14 Indian sweets in party getting over, eaten by boys (7) LADDOOS {LAD{DO}{O}S}

16 Players tackling a new American card game (7) CANASTA {C{A}{N}AST}{A}

17 Soldier on ship grabbing long rope (7) MARLINE {MAR{L}INE}

19 Prince and lady in bash getting a little romantic on ecstasy - it arouses love (7) PHILTRE {P}{HI{L}T}{Ro...c}{E}

21 Talks with bachelor overwhelmed by depression on retirement (4) GABS {S{B}AG<=}

22 Struck by dengue, old bishop's shivering (10) BLUDGEONED {DENGUE+OLD+B}*

25 Order stewed rice with starter of tuna in bar (9) DIRECTIVE {DI{REC{Tuna}I*}VE}

26 Connection that's inside container (3-2) TIE-IN {T{IE}IN}

27 & 2D Bed rest, medication, healthy diet - the very thing that's needed (4,3,6,7) WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED [C&DD]

DOWN

2   See 27 Across

3   Apprise boy about eye problem (10) PRESBYOPIA*

4   Love international model's figure (5) DIGIT {DIG}{I}{T}

5   Plant with yellow flowers, say, on top of counter in retro bar (9) BUTTERCUP {UTTER}{Co...r} in {BUP<}

6   Entice virtuous lady for romp finally (4) LURE (-p+l)LURE

7   Greek character in Seoul, terribly competitive (7) EMULOUS {E{MU}LOUS*}

8   Scoring ecstasy, hep model goes wild, I swear (2,4,2,3) SO HELP ME GOD {HeP+MODEL+GOES}* 

10 Take aim at an adder and boa frantically to save woman (4,1,4,2) DRAW A BEAD ON {AN+ADDER+BOA}* over {W}

13 Germicide releasing potassium cured sick patient (10) ?N?I?E?T?C (Addendum - ANTISEPTIC {SICk PATIENT} - See comments)

15 Son getting bit of flatus, tucking into atrocious seafood (9) SHELLFISH {S}{HELL{Fl...s}ISH}

18 Resurgence of revolutionary ethnic group in Republic of Haiti (7) REBIRTH {R{TRIBE<=}H}

20 Darling enthralled by largely superior hybrid fruit (7) TANGELO {T{ANGEL}Op}

23 Flinch from hideous adder (5) DREAD*

24 Faecal dropping of small animal (4) SCAT {S}{CAT}

Reference List

Tense = T, Day = D, Over = O, New = N, American = A, Long = L, Prince = P, Lady = L, Ecstasy = E, Bachelor = B, Bishop = B, International = I, Model = T, Woman = W, Son = S, Republic = R, Haiti = H, Small = S