No 14598, Thursday 25 Sep 2025, Dr. X

Solution to 20A 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   Praises a college student receiving hundred marks (8) ACCLAIMS {A}{C}{L} over {C} then {AIMS}

5   Girl captivated by zebra wandering in capital city (6) ZAGREB {ZA{G}REB*}

10 Marvellous flatfish (5) BRILL [DD]

11 Report citizen stealing a Rolls-Royce (9) NARRATIVE {N{A}{RR}ATIVE}

12 Democrat screening Republican party's chicanery (9) DECEPTION {D}{rECEPTION}

13 Anxiety caused by a national goods and services tax (5) ANGST {A}{N}{GST}

14 Container filled with a new nitrogen compound (6) TANNIN {T{A}{N}{N}IN}

15 Unreasonable male cutting old conifer (7) EXTREME {EX}{TRE{M}E}

18 Exciting scoop about Hyderabad's captain chasing model after the event (4,3) POST HOC {SCOOP}* over {Hy...d}<=>{T}

20 Investigate unionist breaking contract (6) P?R?U? 

22 Mammoth reward inspires cast (5) THREW [T]

24 Cool, without any frills (9) UNRUFFLED [DD]

25 Requiring nourishment, extremely unwell after onset of epidemic (9) ENTAILING {No...nT}{AILING}<=>{Ep...c}

26 Dame erotically cuddling Muslim prince (5) AMEER [T]

27 Still extremely sheepish, about to propose (6) SMOOTH {Sh..{MOOT}..sH}

28 Died after developing tetanus? Not explicitly declared (8) UNSTATED {D}<=>{TETANUS}*

DOWN

1   Sunrise song a beau composed to entertain date (6) AUBADE {A+BEAU}* over {D}

2   Talks with bowlers perhaps after CSK's top batter gets century (9) CHITCHATS {HATS}<=>{Csk}{HIT}{C}

3   Frolicking in the raw, sots consuming drink get a mild punishment (1,4,2,3,5) A SLAP ON THE WRIST {IN+THE+RAW+SOTS}* over {LAP}

4   Intimate in no time, dancing close to maiden (7) MENTION {NO+TIME}*{m...eN}

6   American runner in tears, devastated by bad performance actually (2,1,6,2,4) AS A MATTER OF FACT {A}{SA{MAT}TER*}{OFF}{ACT}

7   Regretting failure, ultimately depressing (5) RUING {RUIN}{d...nG}

8   Break-danced bare with ultimately hot woman (8) BREATHER {BARE*}{hoT}{HER}

9   Rim of iron around hoop (6) FRINGE {F{RING}E}

16 Vivacious belle in fancy bar outside university (9) EBULLIENT {BELLE+IN}*{T} over {U}

17 Son having no marijuana, becoming clean (8) SPOTLESS {S}{POT LESS}

19 Relative in company, working endlessly (6) COUSIN {CO}{USINg}

20 Substance producing fever in children, mostly around end of July (7) PYROGEN {P{julY}ROGENy}

21 Enjoyed a wine after work (6) ADORED {A}{RED}<=>{DO}

23 Old-fashioned resort, sadly lacking latest of amenities (5) RETRO REsORT*

Reference List

College = C, Student = L, Hundred = C, Girl = G, Democrat = D, Republican = R, National = N, New = N, Male = M, Old = EX, Model = T, Died = D, Date = D, Century = C, American = A, Runner = MAT, Bar = T, University = U, Son = S, Wine = RED