No 14437, Thursday 20 Mar 2025, Crescent

Solution to 5D 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

8   Prerequisit to score a blob, one edging to get out on zero? (9) OBBLIGATO {A+BLOB+1+GeT}*{0}

9   Fabulously divine one in Love Racket (4) ODIN {O}{DIN}

10 Caught between three ducks in silly local fun, headed back to Donald's dream-world (5-6-4) CLOUD-CUCKOO-LAND {D{C}UCK}{0}{0} in {LOCAL+fUN}{d...lD}

12 Green covering seen over pitch close to batter telling a story (9) NARRATIVE {NAIVE} over {TAR}{b...eR}<= 

13 Fraud I orchestrated taking segment of recorded sound (5) AUDIO [T]

14 Wonders about horror movie (3,4)  RED SNOW*

17 Vegetable it eats immediately beginning to provide energy (4,3) SNOW PEA {S{NOW}{Pr...e}{E}A}

19 Object of fascination (5) THING [CD]

21 Supreme love involves individual accepting recurrent blame (9) NONPAREIL {N{ON{RAP<=}E}IL}

24 Tired, i.e. dated one, wasted print version (4,4,7) DEAD TREE EDITION*

25 Brand Oracle picked up (4) SEAR (~seer)

26 Dungeon built to exile heartless criminal (9) OUBLIETTE {BUILT+TO+Ex.lE}

DOWN

1   Amazing act, contender is focussed (12) CONCENTRATED*

2   A crib outside hotel or resort primarily found repugnant (8) ABHORRED {A}{B{{H}{OR}{Re...t}ED}

3   One having attained perfection transforming his dad (6) SIDDHA*

4   Perhaps Munro's written about naked slum dog (6) SALUKI {SA{sLUm}KI}

5   Go round cutting branches permanently (3,5) ?O? K?E?S (Addendum FOR KEEPS {FORK{PEE<=}S} - See comments)

6   State of soldiers following army officer to a party (8) COLORADO {OR}<=>{COL} and {A}{DO}

7   Reptile Master shows with changes to length (6) LIZARD (-w+l)LIZARD

11 Cold polar winds spreading risk in bungle (4,1,7)  DROP A CLANGER {C+POLAR}* in {DANGER}

15 Worthless article, piece about British Conservative (8) NUGATORY {A}{GUN}<={TORY}

16 Asian monkey's stroll outside for food (8) WANDEROO {WANDER}{fOOd}

18 Casts of ancient people in Britain drinking wine (8) PREDICTS {P{RED}ICTS}

20 Times supporting setter's impressions (6) IMAGES {AGES}<=>{I'M}

22Necessity of massage for auditors before book closing in June (4-2) NEED-BE {(~knead)NEED}{B}{junE}

23 Placid Icarus soaring, somewhat bitter (6) ACIDIC [T]

Reference List

Caught = C, It = SA(Sex Appeal), Energy = E, Hotel = H, Go = PEE, Soldiers = OR, Party = DO, With = W, Length = L, Cold = C, Piece = GUN, British Conservative = TORY, Wine = RED, Book = B