No 14394, Wednesday 29 Jan 2025, Dr. X

Solution to 26A 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   Start to swiftly run away, stealing a painting of the ocean (8) SEASCAPE {Sw...y}{E{A}SCAPE}

5   Extremely handsome man in lounge, almost a Greek God (6) HERMES {Ha...mE}{R{M}ESt}

10 French nobleman and old, married model involved in immorality (7) VICOMTE {VIC}{O}{M}{T}E}

11 Letter from electronic store across street (7) EPISTLE {E}{PI{ST}LE}

12 Goes out to secure special plaster of Paris (5) GESSO {GOES}* over {S}

13 Bug jumped over spade (9) EAVESDROP*

14 Hug a cute doc naughtily after drinking a little rum - that's alcohol-induced confidence (5,7) DUTCH COURAGE {HUG+A+CUTE+DOC}* over {Rum}

18 Where person visiting sauna might be facing a difficult situation (2,3,3,4) IN THE HOT SEAT [DD]

21 Ache is terrible, try to reverse inadequate blood supply to organ (9) ISCHAEMIA {ACHE+IS}*{AIM<=}

23 Fool wasting time and money is chasing rainbows, say (5) IDIOM IDIO(-t+m)M

24 English nation's fancy schoolboy (7) ETONIAN {E}{NATION*}

25 Check cool shot over bowler's head by India's opener (7) INHIBIT {IN}{HI{Bo...r}{In..a}T}

26 Snicker as tense captain of SA spills easy catch (6) T?T?E? 

27 Engineer in Odessa coats a metal by electrolysis (8) ANODISES*

DOWN

1   Brute beginning to attack girl in store (6) SAVAGE {At...k}{G} in {SAVE}

2   Approach chartered accountant about expenditure (6) ACCOST {CA<=}{COST}

3   Calm policeman catches male beginning to open safe (9) COMPOSURE {CO{M}P}{Open}{SURE}

4   No debate! Ultimately firemen, cops need remarkable poise (8,2,4) PRESENCE OF MIND {FIReMEN+COPS+NEED}*

6   Issues in class timetable reviewed (5) EMITS [T<=]

7   Serious marital discord, taking counselling at centre (8) MATERIAL {MAT{c...sEl...g}RIAL*}

8   Spot around lake by dock is more peaceful (8) SLEEPIER {S{L}EE}{PIER}

9   Fuel supplier's depravity concealed by senator, it's appalling (7,7) SERVICE STATION {VICE} in {SENATOR+ITS}*

15 Philosophical treatise by sadhu about overcoming pain easily (9) UPANISHAD {SADHU}* over {PAIN}*

16 Jumps to welcome popular tenor, most charming (8) DIVINEST {DIV{IN}ES}{T}

17 Stalwart accepts decision, abandons power project (5,3) STICK OUT {ST{pICK}OUT}

19 Halo of star rising over island starts to mesmerise beachgoers (6) NIMBUS {SUN<=} over {I}{Me...e}{Be...s}

20 Strikes arachnid aboard ship (6) SMITES {S{MITE}S}

22 Mount in Zanskar is exquisite (5) ARISE [T]

Reference List

Man = M, Old = O, Married = M, Model = T, Electronic = E, Street = ST, Special = S, Time = T, Money = M, English = E, Cool = IN, Girl = G, Male = M, Lake = L, Popular = IN, Tenor = T, Power = P, Island = I, Ship = SS