No 14472, Wednesday 30 Apr 2025, Crescent

Solution to 12A 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   Specific person primarily thrown out of a joint (9) ARTICULAR pARTICULAR

9   Lug piece of luggage for aristocrat (4) EARL {EAR}{Lu...e}

10 Clandestine exercise primarily renounced, truth broadcast (5,3,7) UNDER THE COUNTER {Ex...e+RENOUNCED+TRUTH}*

12 Sort of leaning Member might share, essentially political? (9) A?I?N?E?T (Addendum ALIGNMENT {LEANING+M}*{p..iTi..l} - See comments)

13 Something that stains Romeo's intent to an extent (5) EOSIN [T] 

14 A record label launches Filipino (7)  TAGALOG {A}{LOG}<=>{TAG}

17 Party leading Government in compact returning pointers, for example (3,4) GUN DOGS {DO}{Go...t}  in {SNUG<=}

19 Send terms of reference (5) REMIT [DD]

21 'Rank' clued incorporating 'rank' became a sore point (9) ULCERATED {ULCE{RATE}D*}

24 Assist girls and send out calls for help (8,7) DISTRESS SIGNALS {ASSIST+GIRLS+SEND}*

25 Day is cold, a record (4) DISC {D}{IS}{C}

26 Speaker stops point about suspensions (9) MORATORIA {ORATOR} in {AIM<=}

DOWN

1   Made in Macau, turned up around France (12) MANUFACTURED {MACAU+TURNED}* over {F}

2   Investigating way out, edging out on the way out (8) STUDYING {ST}{oUt}{DYING}

3   Rocks collapse bringing out one effect of springtime thaw (3,3) ICE RUN {ICE}{RUiN}

4   Slice of Babybel cheese for Turkish ambassador (6) ELCHEE [T] 

5   Cost of space taken up storing grain before end of harvest (5,3) PRICE TAG {GAP<=} over {RICE}{h...sT}

6   Regret making the last top in pure, sky-blue (8) CERULEAN {C{(+e)ERU(-e)}LEAN}

7   Animals barking rub scent every so often in retreat (6) BRUTES {RUB}*{ScEnT<=}

11 Elevated tier assigned offering vantage viewpoint (8,4) RINGSIDE SEAT {TIER+ASSIGNED}*

15 Learned people have this energy kindled with lively crowds (8) LITERACY {LIT}{E}{RACY}

16 Horrible golf, pity to a few (8) GRUESOME {G}{RUE}{SOME}

18 United Thailand splits with royal suffering banishment (8) OUTLAWRY {U}{T} in {W+ROYAL}*

20 Film about current and force lifting fish out of water (6) MISFIT {MIST} over {I}{F}<=

22 Men standing behind expelled Cuban leader (6) CASTRO {OR<=}<=>{CAST}

23 Makes amends for Conservative son (6) RIGHTS {RIGHT}{S}

Reference List

Member = M, Party = DO, Day = D, Cold = C, France = F, Way = STREET = ST, Rocks = ICE, Golf = G, United = U, Thailand = T, With = W, Current = I, Force = F, Men = OR(Other ranks), Son = S