No 14366, Thursday 26 Dec 2024, Dr. X

Have an early morning drive so I cannot post the regular blog today.

Each commenter is requested to post only 3 answers thereby giving others also a chance to participate. Please provide all your answers in one comment. 

Will update the blog later in the evening.

Thanks for the response, here's the regular blog.

ACROSS

1   Lost close cricket match finally - it gives a jolt! (8,5) ELECTRIC SHOCK {CLOSE+CRICKET+m..cH}*

8   Japanese singer's grand performance enthrals king (5) GACKT {G}{AC{K}T}

9   Hero seems endlessly distressed, drinking whiskey in an unknown place (9) SOMEWHERE {HER+SEEMs}* over {W}

11 Bond in darkness cut face of villain holding gun (10) OBLIGATION {OBLIv{GAT}ION}

12 Kiss darling on sofa, cuddling in retreat (4) SNOG<=

14 Rebellious boy, beginning to take liquor and drug (7) NOSTRUM {SON<=}{Take}{RUM}

16 Like meeting trendy girl in latter part of the day (7) EVENING {EVEN}{IN}{G}

17 Stupid person's rage, filled with terrible hate (7) FATHEAD {FA{HATE*}D}

19 Gear in public transport vehicle showing inscription of three letters (7) TRIGRAM {T{RIG}RAM}

21 Work about popular Norse God (4) ODIN {DO<=}{IN}

22 American lady at home involved in reckless liaison (10) ILLINOISAN {L}{IN} in {LIAISON}*

25 Assisted living facilities provided by hospital in Somerset, remarkable (4,5) RESTHOMES {H} in {SOMERSET}*

26 Charges rebellious drunkard stealing couple of pounds (5) TOLLS {S{LL}OT<=}

27 Finally accept challenge bit nervously for undertaking a dangerous enterprise (7,3,3) BELLING THE CAT {a...pT+CHALLENGE+BIT}*

DOWN

2   Spots star in retreat, drinking cold beer (7) LOCALES {SOL<=} over {C}{ALE}

3   Weeps outside, worried by girl getting ordinary grades (10) CATEGORIES {C{ATE}{G}{O}RIES}

4   Failed? Tries to take an exam again (5) RESIT*

5   Bit tense after individual chases politician involved in scam (9) COMPONENT {T} after {ONE}<=>{MP} in {CON}

6   Cry of woman in endless depression (4) HOWL {HO{W}Le}

7   Revolutionary hotel coming up outside a city in India (7) CHENNAI {CHE}{I{A}NN<=}

8   See 13

10 Fellows building a nest egg to limit struggles (11) ENGAGEMENTS {MEN} in {A+NEST+EGG}*

13 / 8 How to enter building to join an enterprise at its inception (3,2,2,3,6,5) GET IN ON THE GROUND FLOOR [DD]

15 Director in dilemma, misled by new distributor (9) MIDDLEMAN {D} in {DILEMMA*}{N}

18 Investigates case of torture in Italian city (7) TRIESTE {TRIES}{To...rE}

20 Parakeet soared, rotated completely (7) ROSELLA {ROSE}{ALL<=}

23 Smaller map of Italy and Sweden inside bag (5) INSET {I}{N{S}ET}

24 Crush ultras seizing synagogue (4) SHUL [T]

Reference List

Grand = G, King = K, Whiskey = W, Girl = G, Lady = L, Hospital = H, Pound = L, Cold = C, Tense = T, Woman = W, Director = D, New = N, Italy = I, Sweden = S