No 14580, Thursday 04 Sep 2025, Mythical

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

6   Bill hotel company sent back for a specific purpose (2,3) AD HOC {AD}{H}{CO<=}

7   Settle convict at church after firstly ensuring necessary support (8) ENSCONCE {CON}{CE}<=>{{En...g}{Ne...y}{Su...t}

10 Harry tries a new wine from Greece (7) RETSINA {TRIES+A+N}*

11 Enforce old base rent by the end of June (7) EXECUTE {EX}{E}{CUT}{junE}

12 An associate member in NATO perhaps (7) ACRONYM {A}{CRONY}{M} DBE

13 Misplace bottle filled with spurious medication (7) PLACEBO [T]

14 Head of Research involved in scam at Motorola mostly worked in Command Centre (7,4) CONTROL ROOM {Re...h} in {CON}{MOTOROLa}*

19 Armoury is behind short alley going westwards (7) ARSENAL {ARSE}{LANe<=}

21 Spooner's raffle could help one while shopping (7) TROLLEY {lottery to trolley}

23 Trust boy to help after Romeo leaves (7) BELIEVE{B}{rELIEVE}

25 Ignore knight say, at the French court (7) NEGLECT {N}{EG}{LE}{CT}

26 Aristocrat's innumerable tales essentially forgotten (8) COUNTESS {COUNTlESS}

27 Tender noblewoman using resilience, strength, empathy primarily (5) NURSE Acrostic

DOWN

1   Rant from one rector posturing outside church ultimately (8) RHETORIC {1+RECTOR}* over {c...cH}

2   Regularly watch this old player's performance (6) ACTION {wAtCh+ThIs}{O}{N}

3   Vanessa in Real Madrid? Fantastic! (3,7) RED ADMIRAL*

4   Man perhaps discussed passage (4) ISLE (~aisle)

5   Book dance club she visited occasionally (6) ACCUSE {dAnCe+ClUb+ShE}

6   Sailor on course overseas (6) ABROAD {AB}{ROAD}

8   Leaves associate in Oregon, curiously (7) OREGANO {A} in {OREGON}*

9   Taken in by lifelong criminal (5) FELON [T]

13 Pointless debate ultimately about good manners (10) POLITENESS {POINTLESS+d...tE}*

15 Grandma eager to get durable fabric (7) NANKEEN {NAN}{KEEN}

16 Tipsy after eating extremely unusual black fruit (8) MULBERRY {M{Un...aL}{B}ERRY}

17 Arranged Airbnb anonymously for spiritual leader (5) ?A?B? (Addendum - RABBI AIRBnB* - See comments)

18 Going back, attempt hiding in towering tree, an evergreen (6) MYRTLE {EL{TRY}M}<=}

20 For starters, nightfall obscures murky lagoons, attracting smugglers - on reflection, that's fishy (6) SALMON Reverse Acrostic

22 Some priests nag royal about things heard in church (6) ORGANS [T<=]

24 Brief affair in plane (4) EVEN EVENt

Reference List

Bill = AD, Hotel = H, Church = CE, New = N, Old = EX, Base = E, Member = M, Boy = B, Romeo = R, Knight = N, The in French = LE, Court = CT, Old = O, Player = N(orth), Sailor = AB, Grandma = NAN, Black = B