No 14534, Friday 11 Jul 2025, Dr. X

RULES FOR POSTING COMMENTS FOR FRIDAY ONLY

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PLEASE NOTE, SOLUTIONS WITHOUT ATTEMPTING THE ANNOTATIONS WILL BE DELETED

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Thanks for the response, here's the regular blog.

ACROSS

1   Mafia sent criminal to kill associate? That's obvious (8) MANIFEST {MAFIa+SENT}* 

5   Dolt is awfully dull (6) STOLID*

10 Mark area encompassing island's marshy pine forest (5) TAIGA {TA{I}G}{A}

11 Fine coat over sheer shirt in German city (9) FRANKFURT {F}{RANK}{FUR}{T}

12 Left as husband is vile and adulterous (9) FAITHLESS {LEFT+AS+H+IS}*

13 Fermented rye in Kenyan town (5) NYERI* 

14 Listens to essentially sensational American newspaper publisher (6) HEARST {HEARS}{sensaTional}

15 Rob English prince in bar (7) DEPRIVE {D{E}{PR}IVE}

18 Bid to acquire a small, stylish medieval helmet (7) BASINET {B{A}{S}{IN}ET}

20 Wavy border in image, not ordinary (6) CRIMPY {C{RIM}oPY}

22 Sacks filled with oriental gowns (5) ROBES {ROB{E}S}

24 Having hardened skin? Need to get bit of ointment applied (9) CALLOUSED {CALL}{Oi...t}{USED}

25 Gets eager, cracks sequence of code hidden in software (6,3) EASTER EGG*

26 Prepare pastry on reflection to welcome queen (5) EQUIP {PIE<=} over {QU}

27 Scoring a little LSD, nut idly totters in state of undress (6) NUDITY {NUT+IDlY}*

28 Reevaluate fancy sarees with sequins at the borders (8) REASSESS {SAREES}{Se...nS}

DOWN

1   Ideas by doctor beginning to speak about recurrent seizure (6) MOTIFS {MO}{FIT<=}{Sp..k}

2   Rowdy behaviour in boisterous session, drinking at home (9) NOISINESS {NOS{IN}ESS*}

3   Poor son, tense after parent smuggles drug to make money dishonestly (7,4,4) FEATHERES ONES NEST {SON+TENSE}*<=>{F{E}ATHER}

4   Most smooth in very fine audition (7) SOFTEST {SO}{F}{TEST}

6   Instruction to cops when jails are full to be utterly ruthless (4,2,9) TAKE NO PRISONERS [C&DD]

7   Run to pick up a little unusual magnifying glass (5) LOUPE {LO{Un...l}PE}

8   Comprehensive performance, taking time and trouble (8) DETAILED {DE{T}{AIL}ED}

9   Resulted in scoundrel taking advantage (6) CAUSED {CA{USE}D}

16 Rogue devised ruse to swindle (9) IMPOSTURE {IMP}{TO+RUSE}*

17 Dancing bare on ecstasy inside retreat in Scottish city (8) ABERDEEN {BARE*}{DE{E}N}

19 Slip in grove, cutting front of hand (6) TICKET ThICKET

20 Criminal conceals trunk close to lake in German city (7) COLOGNE {CO{LOG}N}{lakE}

21 Shot a despot eliminating old masters (6) ADEPTS {A+DESPoT}*

23 Located in Swiss city, taking diamonds for lady (5) BASED BASE(-l+d)D

Reference List

Associate = A, Area = A, Island = I, Fine = F, Shirt = T, Husband = H, English = E, Prince = PR, Small = S, Stylish = IN, Ordinary = O, Oriental = E, Queen = QU, At home = IN, Drug = E, Time = T, Ecstasy = E, Old = O, Diamonds = D, Lady = L