No 14542, Monday 21 Jul 2025, Karaoke

 Solution to 23D 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   According to Spooner, beggars dance when author lacks inspiration at times (7,5) WRITERS BLOCK (blighters rock to writers block)

9   Beggar going around neighbourhood collecting money (5) TRAMP {P{M}ART<=}

10 Expert statement, master rejected by apple of the eye (9) COMPETENT {COmM{PET}ENT} 

11 Handsome earl bent to hug girl (7) ELEGANT {E}{LE{G}ANT}

12 Name that is assumed by everyone carrying plastic money with no hassle ultimately (7) ALLONYM {ALL}{MONeY}*

13 Dummies for babies to suck, then rest (8) SOOTHERS {SO}{OTHERS}

14 Drop small court petition first (5) SWOOP {S}{WOO}{Pe...n}

18 Give up cocaine immediately to make up for deficiencies (5) ATONE {AT ONcE}

20 Bear touring around Accra often in container (3,5) TEA CADDY {TE{AcCrA}DDY}

24 Praises once in a funny manner about plan (7) ENCOMIA {ONCE*}{AIM<=}

26 Ready for action, thespian performing without a trace of tears (2,5) IN SHAPE tHESPIAN*

27 Haze and frost follow wind destroying island in peace (9) ARMISTICE {MIST}{ICE}<=>{AiR}

28 Unpleasant smell from skunk essentially passing through swinging door (5) ODOUR {ODO{skUnk}R*}

29 Ask section about eligible trains primarily. It is good for several trips (6,6) SEASON TICKET {ASK+SECTION}*{El...e}{Tr...s}

DOWN

1   How a table could become a conveyance! (9) WHALEBOAT*

2   Short drive, almost long charge (7) IMPEACH {IMPEl}{ACHe}

3   Continuing in the same way, alien chasing alien participating in mixed race (2,6) ET CETERA {ET}{C{ET}ERA*}

4   Relish deer (6) SAMBAR [DD]

5   Fabrication prolonged, goes unnoticed (4,3) LIES LOW {LIE}{SLOW}

6  Unadulterated drug infesting society (5) CLEAN {CL{E}AN}

7   Freethinker takes time to participate in a robbery (7) ATHEIST {A}{T}{HEIST}

8   At start, players must struggle for wicket (5) STUMP {Pl...s+MUST}*

15 Amount for one differing from others in a group? (3-3-3) ODD-MAN-OUT {AMOUNT}* [RA]

16 Using brie repeatedly causes disease! (8) BERIBERI {BERI}* Letterbank

17 Both years unusual, so sad to remove from memory (2,5) BY HEART {BoTH+YEARs}*

19 Magi returned without taking special revenge! (7) NEMESIS {wISEMEN<=}{S}

21 Money in short supply? No tension for outerwear (7) CASSOCK {CASh}{StOCK}

22 Right side of a cricket field at arm's length basically (5) LEGAL {LEG}{Arm}{Le...h}

23 Food and the like, one rejected in counter-attack (6) ?A?I?N (Addendum - RATION (R etal i ATION)

25 Celestial object swapped tails for philosopher (5) COMTE COM(E<=>T)

Reference List

Money = M, Master = M, Earl = E, Girl = G, Small = S, Court = WOO, Cocaine = C, Island = I, Drug = E, Time = T, With = W, Special = S, Tension = T, and the like = ET AL