No 14584, Tuesday 09 Sep 2025, Arden

Solution to 21D 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   Alarming - cease preparation of the custard sauce (5,8) CREAM ANGLAISE*

10 Rebels haven't started problems (5) RISES cRISES

11 First course, not for previous round (9) ANTIPASTO {ANTI}{PAST}{O}

12 Malicious three involved in civil unrest (9) VITRIOLIC {VI{TRIO}LIC*}

13 Tea by the way is a plant (5) CHARD {CHA}{RD}

14 Cabin on board to store tools (7) SHOVELS {S{HOVEL}S}

16 One extremely spiritualistic expires and goes to heaven (7) ASCENDS {A}{Sp...iC}{ENDS} Semi&lit

18 Perhaps main problem with patients (7) INMATES {MAIN*}{SET<=}

20 File containing oddly, Romeo's testosterone, say (7) HORMONE {HO{RoMeOs}NE}

22 Starts with event management - can even entertain the host (5) EMCEE Acrostic

24 Odd to be in bed - bachelor left all alone (9) ESTRANGED {bE{STRANGE}D}

26 Research about current density is taxing in a way (5,4) STAMP DUTY {ST{AMP}{D}UTY} Error in clue STUTY for STUDY?

27 Joint composition reviewed (5) TENON<= 

28 Could start on bowling stats in test which is debatable (13) CONTROVERSIAL {Co..d}{ON}{TR{OVERS}IAL}

DOWN

2   Royal order for a knighted German dish (7) RISOTTO {SIR<=}{OTTO} Reversal indicator missing

3   Test ban in sporting continent (9) ABSTINENT*

4   A cry heard for help (5) AVAIL {A}{(~wail)VAIL}

5   Fall in attendance before you barge in (4-5) GATE-CRASH {CRASH}<=>{GATE}

6   Like to choose, say what goes into a dessert (5) ASPIC {AS}{(~pick)PIC}

7   Support outside American soil (7) SUSTAIN {S{US}TAIN}

8   Savage desires produce an auto-immune disorder (6,7) GRAVES DISEASE*

9   Patronising as every other account is coming down (13) CONDESCENDING {aCcOuNt}{DESCENDING}

15 Rolling Stones out - music to be played in a sustained or prolonged manner. (9) SOSTENUTO*

17 Unravel secret about foremost Spanish writer (9) CERVANTES {CER{VAN}TES*}

19 Pilgrims go there with no support - it's children's plaything (7) MECCANO {MECCA}{NO} As a kid I had one of these. How many of you had it?

21 Cloth rag carried by extreme characters (7) O?G?N?A ()

23 Seal up - getting cross with the foreign worker (5) EXPAT {TAP{X}E<=}

25 Herb sneaks in by stealthy means (5) THYME [T]

Reference List

Tea = CHA, Way = RD, On board = SS, Bachelor = B, Density = D, Foremost = VAN