No 14549, Tuesday 29 Jul 2025, Afterdark

Solution to 17A 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   Hurt by cat on the back to rodent (6) MARMOT {MAR}{TOM<=}

5   Plant found in Milan, Goa accidentally (8) MAGNOLIA*

9   Upset that world organisation's suspended (8) UNSTRUNG {UN}{STRUNG}

10 Systems for class at Indian state school (6) SETUPS {SET}{UP}{S}

11 Builder's a criminal, plot occupied primarily near river (10) CONTRACTOR {CON}{TRACT}{Oc...d}{R}

12 Thug to stay after a break in the middle (4) GOON {GO ON}

13 Arrangement of veins by native? No, it's new (8) VENATION* 

16 Cover can take ball by play-ends (6) CANOPY {CAN}{O}{PlaY}

17 Drunk with spirit after bender by day (6) ?T?N?D (Addendum - STONED {TONE}<=>{S} by {D})

19 Nothing, almost rubbish?! No, at the end America is remarkable (8) FABULOUS {FA}{BULl}{nO}{US}

21 Observe honour conferred on youth leader (4) OBEY {OBE}{Yo..h}

22 Itinerant guy avails oats primarily in erstwhile country (10) YUGOSLAVIA {GUY+AVAILS+Oats}*

25 Princess returns after 6 in city (6) VIENNA {ANNE<=}<=>{VI}

26 Say, a cohort on time has porridge, doesn't finish off with pressure (3,5) AGE GROUP {AGE}{GROUt}{P}

27 Pipe shed used to make pesticide mixture (5,3) SHEEP DIP*

28 Officer picked up by centre (6) KERNEL (~colonel)

DOWN

2   A new information concealed by doctor on state of pregnancy (5) AMNIO {A}{M{N}{I}O}

3   Remote thoughts intrinsic for a composition (5) MOTET [T]

4   Humanist, needing no introduction makes huge waves (7) TSUNAMI hUMANIST*

5   Unit of energy shows zero in electrified magnet (7) MEGATON {MEGAT{0}N*}

6   Grits can almost create problem to the stomach (7) GASTRIC {GRITS+CAn}*

7   Catalog on shape has 8 sides (9) OCTAGONAL*

8   One reminder received by member; you hear it is unprepared (9) IMPROMPTU {1}{M}{PROMPT}{(~you)U}

14 Herbalists, right away danced in set (9) ESTABLISH HErBALISTS*

15 Anyone can become angry and be a nuisance (9) ANNOYANCE*

18 Ground is arid and loose at the end, cracking (3,4) DRY LAND {DRY}{AND+Lo..e}*

19 Play golf with current provided for light (7) FOGLAMP {GOLF*}{AMP}

20 To live at mountains cycling is show (7) BESPEAK {BE}{(+s)SPEAK(-s)}

23 Rare, I designed a drier (5) AIRER*

24 Train in old city's express primarily (5) INURE {IN}{UR}{Ex...s}

Reference List

School = S, River = R, Bender = S, Day = D, Nothing = FA(Fanny Adams), Pressure = P, New = N, Information = I, Member = M, Right = R