No 14428, Monday 10 Mar 2025, Arden

Solution to 7A 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   Provide support before it takes wings (11) CATERPILLAR {CATER}{PILLAR}

7   Reduce men, provide guns (3) A?M (Addendum - ARM ARMy - See comments)

9   Reject appeal to include single colour (5) LILAC {CAL{1}L<=}

10 I've agents working, they need to be developed (9) NEGATIVES*

11 Wild bears have some distance to cover, look grumpy (9) MISERABLE {MI{BEARS*}LE} 

12 Disposed in June, Judge recused showing malaise (5) ENNUI {IN+jUNE}*

13 Ascertain money is enough to start with (7) REALISE {REAL}{IS}{En...h}

15 The turf laid on top of a mineral... (4) SODA {SOD}{A}

18 ...on the morning of the festival (4) ONAM {ON}{AM}

20 Fighter in rear action for a nobleman carrying weapons (7) ARMIGER {{MIG} in {REAR*}

23 Sovereign rights - invested Guilder regularly (5) RULER {R}{gUiLdEr}{R}

24 Italian bard took the London underground back - it was sort of first outing for her (9) DEBUTANTE {D{TUBE<=}ANTE}

26 Don Juan has more knowledge about a country (9) WOMANISER {W{OMAN}ISER}

27 Capital has to be invested in American city (5) LHASA {L{HAS}A}

28 Mine in North India, millions extracted (3) ERA mERA Where's the Definition?

29 Ireland applied all remedies (7,4) EMERALD ISLE*

DOWN

1   It's local - a marina to catch some seafood (8) CALAMARI [T]

2   Charm is in being embraced by a towering male, no novice (8) TALISMAN {TALl}{IS}{MAN}

3   Expert in a fancy car? (5) RACER {R{ACE}R} &lit

4   Base count supporting - extremely interesting (7) IGNOBLE {NOBLE}<=>{In...nG}

5   On the French ship there is nothing to stand on (7) LEGLESS {LE}{SS}<=>{LEG}(Correction - {LEG}{LE}{SS})

6   Rigid aluminium frames to trap furry creature in port (9) ROTTERDAM {RigiD}{Al...uM} over {OTTER}

7   Beginning a day passage (6) ADVENT {A}{D}{VENT}

8   Said to be big mountainous region (6) MASSIF (~massive)

14 Not knowing or caring about one, perhaps (9) IGNORANCE {CARING+ONE}*

16 Africans and guns - inviting a revolution (8) UGANDANS {AND+GUNS+A}*

17 Near east turmoil, it's toxic stuff (8) ARSENATE*

19 Cook made use of jellyfish (7) MEDUSAE*

20 Canadian province could be ratable (7) ALBERTA*

21 Have a look at things above your eyes and tip of the nose (6) BROWSE {BROWS}{nosE}

22 Old student found mineral lacking Iodine (6) ALUMNA ALUMiNA

25 Fastened around the length and surface covered (5) TILED {TI{L}ED}

Reference List

Judge = J, Right = R, Novice = L, Fancy car = RR, On = LEG, The in French = LE, Ship = SS, Day = D, Length = L