No 14569, Thursday 21 Aug 2025, Dr. X

Solution to 17D 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   Retreat from angry bull in herd (8) PULLBACK {P{BULL*}ACK}

5   Line to enter most stylish joint (6) SPLIFF {SP{L}IFFy}

10 Drinking a little beer, I croon, performing with vigour (3,4) CON BRIO {Beer+I+CROON}*

11 Pay for former head touring Italy (7) EXPIATE {EX}{P{I}ATE}

12 See 9 Down

13 Delightful finale captivates listener (9) ENDEARING {END{EAR}ING}

14 Otherwise gentle, fools after consuming ecstasy act without restraint (3,7,2) LET ONESELF GO {GENTLE+FOOLS}* over {E}

18 Discovered why felon initially terrified every unnoticed observer (3,2,3,4) FLY ON THE WALL {WHY+FELON+Te...d}*{ALL}

21 Attractive gentleman beginning to arouse in sack, turning on English lady in retreat (9) DESIRABLE {SIR}{Ar...e} in {BED<=} on{E}{L}<=

23 Calling husband in French city (5) NICHE {NIC{H}E}

24 Lawyer in Hanoi harassed American (7) IDAHOAN {I{DA}HOAN*}

25 Stumble outside church, primarily straining muscle (7) TRICEPS {TRI{CE}P}{St...g}

26 Number is twelve, essentially divisible by two without a remainder (6) ELEVEN {twELve}{EVEN}

27 Director beginning to evaluate inmate's strange mental illness (8) DEMENTIA {D}{Ev...e}{INMATE*}

DOWN

1   Relish jam (6) PICKLE [DD]

2   Stuffing some tarpaulin in garage (6) LINING [T]

3   Leader of band enters to play with popular American conductor (9) BERNSTEIN {Band}{ENTERS*}{IN}

4   Too obscene, the ending of controversial novel is likely to cause offence (5,2,3,4) CLOSE TO THE BONE {TOO+OBSCENE+THE+c...aL}*

6   Father touring posh Asian province (5) PAPUA {PAP{U}A}

7   Ninja loses head, turns unsettled very soon (2,1,5) IN A JIFFY {nINJA}*{IFFY}

8   Dish containing fish with bit of garlic is satisfying (4-4) FEEL-GOOD {F{EEL}{Ga...c}OOD}

9 & 12 What passengers on trains might do to look for hidden meaning (4,7,3,5) READ BETWEEN THE LINES [C&DD]

15 Rose with vigour to have good time in Spain (9) EGLANTINE {E{G}LAN}{T}{IN}{E}

16 Leap to save runs after bad cricket shot (3,5) OFF DRIVE {D{R}IVE}<=>{OFF}

17 Certainly owned extremely expensive frames and visor (8) ?Y?S?A?E (Addendum - EYESHADE {YES}{HAD} in {Ex...vE} - See comments)

19 Acknowledge excellent point about early sign of cancer (6) ACCEPT {A{Ca...r}CE}{PT}

20 Russia is reportedly capturing back historical region (6) PERSIA [T<=]

22 Improve after beginning to row in European river (5) RHONE {HONE}<=>{Row}

Reference List

Line = L, Former = EX, Italy = I, Ecstasy = E, English = E, Lady = L, Husband = H, Lawyer = DA, Church = CE, Director = D, Popular = IN, Posh = U, Good = G, Time = T, Spain = E, Runs = R, Point = PT