No 14525, Tuesday 01 Jul 2025, Arden

Solution to 4A 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   Australian native crazy to get a business degree (6) NUMBAT {NU{MBA}T}

4   Having the means to vent Nitrogen through the back (8) ?F?L?E?T (Addendum - AFFLUENT {AF{FLUE}{N}T} - See comments)

10 Beer drinking - entire publicity is on a singer (9) BALLADEER {B{ALL}{AD}EER}

11 The diminished part of reclaimed compound (5) IMIDE [T<=]

12 A bizarre topic, "Eating right fruit" (7) APRICOT {A}{TOPIC*} over {R}

13 Difficult astride a horse - looking exhausted (7) HAGGARD {H{A}{GG}ARD}

14 After weekend rains join regular Chinese characters (5) KANJI {weeK}{rAiNs+JoIn}

15 First of all make missing employees go into another shift - there will be resistance shown (8) OHMMETER {Make}{Mi...g}{Em...s} in {OTHER}*

18 Plants spiked device (8) CALTROPS [DD]

20 'Royal Crown', part of Nova Scotia rail road (5) TIARA [T]

23 Cup of tea left to become cold (7) CHALICE {CHA}{L}{ICE}

25 A country blocks message - taking a break (7) PAUSING PA{USING} Anno pending (Addendum - {P{A}{US}ING} - See comments)

26 Books houses - time to go for hotel (5) TOMES (-h+t)TOMES

27 Grounds restrict parking as they get into their shells (9) TERRAPINS {TERRA{P}INS}

28 Reporters go about collecting some money to back horses (8) HACKNEYS {HACK{YEN<=}S}

29 Cancel river crossing permit (6) DELETE {DE{LET}E}

DOWN

1   Bankers involved a state (8) NEBRASKA {BANKERS}*{A}

2   Average in America for a factory to manage (7) MILLRUN {MILL}{RUN}

3   A new car, perhaps this could be revolutionary (9) ANARCHIST {A}{N}{CAR*}{THIS*}

5   Opt for the smart activity usually (3,3,4,4) FOR THE MOST PART*

6   Fish bit the fly finally - you're not telling the truth (5) LYING {L{flY}ING}

7   Domain equilibrium - both sides cross (7) EMIRATE {Eq...uM}{IRATE}

8   Strive to nab, close in (6) TRENDY {TR{END}Y}

9   Other converts not yet ostracised (4,2,8) SENT TO COVENTRY*

16 Following gents without clothes - how old are we? (9) ENTOURAGE {gENTs}{OUR AGE}

17 Willingness to provide gearless version (8) LARGESSE*

19 Harry came in around the second of January looking pale (7) ANAEMIC {CAME+IN}* over {jAn...y}

21 Spaniard's admission in a square perhaps is absurd (7) ASININE {A}{SI}{NINE}

22 Put a lid on a drink (6) SCOTCH [DD]

24 Norwegian playwright in describing our stock market (5) IBSEN {I{BSE}N}

Reference List

Publicity = AD, Right = R, Horse = GG, Left = L, Time = T, Hotel = H, Parking = P, New = N, Yes in Spain = SI