No 14538, Wednesday 16 Jul 2025, Spinner

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

1   Evaluate taking on a partnership with American organization, finally giving commitment (13) ASSIDUOUSNESS {ASS{I}{DUO}{US}{o...oN}ESS}

10 Hurry, it's real! (5) LEGIT {LEG IT}

11 Therapy for men in tatters, unfulfilled and broken! (9) TREATMENT {MEN} in {TATTERs}*

12 Communist leader locks seats (6) CHAIRS {Co...t}{HAIRS}

13 Choose alternative saving time - maybe? (8) OPERATOR {OPT}{OR} over {ERA}

15 Right coalition's pained cry for insurgent's head (9) ALLOWANCE ALL(-i+ow)OWANCE

16 Strike down priest, nun loses her head! (4) STUN {ST}{nUN}

20 Caps student access cards (4) LIDS {L}{IDS}

21 Boxer in control of clash, claiming title at the end! (9) UNDERWEAR {UNDER}{W{t..lE}AR}

24 Still lacking time, Spinner's cryptic set is most whimsical (8) SILLIEST {StILL}{I}{SET*}

26 Where hidden advantages and the hearts of the emotional lie? (6) SLEEVE [DD]

28 Settled, wealthy society's left for the moon, perhaps? (9) SATELLITE {SAT}{EL{L}ITE}

29 Annoys woman with hollow lines (5) GALLS {GAL}{LineS}

30 Match official fixes holding period to essentially disrupt those keeping it cool (13) REFRIGERATORS {REF}{RIG{ERA}{TO}{disRupt}S}

DOWN

2   Shoddy design masks everything announced (9) SIGNALLED {SIGN{ALL}ED*}

3   Bury outside city centre (8) INTERIOR {INTE{RIO}R}

4   For understanding nuclear, try Oppenheimer's tips (4) UNTO Acrostic

5   Disruptive radioactive element's future gaining muscle basically every day! (10) U?E?P?C?E? (Addendum - UNEXPECTED {U}{NEX{PEC}T}{Every}{Day} - See comments)

6   New season missing lead character (6) NATURE {N}{mATURE}

7   Won outright as some supporters shed tears (5) SWEPT {Su...s}{WEPT}

8   Choose leader or choose to oust leader! (5) ELECT sELECT

9   Confess about turning traitor for spying continuously (7) STARING {S{RAT<=}ING}

14 Very damaging to forget starting or finishing process? (10) VARNISHING {V}{tARNISHING}

17 Clerk hosts unending party for tourist (9) TRAVELLER {T{RAVe}ELLER}

18 Dearest captain leaves behind cricket, ultimately! (7) CLOSEST {C}{LOSES}{c...eT}

19 Hard to maintain endless resolve in fag end of one's career? (8) TWILIGHT {T{WILl}IGHT}

22 Intrinsically dark, I'll eradicate! (6) KILLER [T] Semi&lit?

23 Not in favour of forgetting opening line (5) VERSE aVERSE

25 Measure of anger on being interrupted by onset of thunderstorm after fifty (5) LITRE {I{Th...m}RE}<=>{L}

27 One who might sell short or deliver (4) BEAR [DD]

Reference List

Student = L, Time = T, Left = L, New = N, Very = V, Captain = C, Fifty = L