No 14609, Thursday 09 Oct 2025, Pixie Dust

Solution to 24A 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   Go order slim guns at regular intervals (6) RESIGN {oRdEr+SlIm+GuNs}

4   Matrimonial scam with criminal shrouding prison (8) CONJUGAL {CON}{AL} over {JUG}

9   So, this river destroyed a man's zoo? (6) AMAZON {AMAZON+SO}={A+MANS+ZOO} [CA] 

10 Report of French writer (8) DESCRIBE {DE}{SCRIBE}

12 Seaman's house in dry lake (4,4) SALT FLAT {SALT}{FLAT}

13 Musical piece taken from the beginnings of Saariaho's opera, nuanced and totally astounding (6) SONATA Acrostic

15 Usual partner's curiously mysterious (12) SUPERNATURAL*

18 Tipsy Spooner to claim, "Have no hesitation for a vodka-based drink (12) COSMOPOLITAN {SPOONer+TO+CLAIM}*

21 Journey following daybreak (6) FLIGHT {F}{LIGHT}

22 Handle helping to make revolutionary 'He-Man' resurrect (8) USERNAME [T<=]

24 Alumni primarily connected around university and flourished (8) A?O?N?E? 

25 Bill and I buried in the past slowly (6) ADAGIO {AD}{AG{I}O}

26 Raving Earl with a couple of females exercising (8) EFFUSING {E}{FF}{USING}

27 Tree God's hermitage (6) ASHRAM {ASH}{RAM}

DOWN

1   Perhaps ears used frequently to change one's mind? (8) REASSESS {EARS}* [Letter Bank]

2   Will begins to operate pretty small and light boats (8) SHALLOPS {SHALL}{Op...e}{Pr...y}{S}

3   Worthless exchanges? (4-3-8) GOOD-FOR-NOTHINGS [C&DD]

5   Bingo! Venue has range (4) OVEN [T]

6   Multitasker? Described as one without any pupils! (4,2,3,6) JACK OF ALL TRADES [C&DD]

7   Somehow tug air instrument (6) GUITAR*

8   As per Spooner, all of us settle in room? (6) LEEWAY (~we lay to leeway)

11 Guru's cap held by two old ladies (7) MAHATMA {MA}{HAT}{MA}

14 Heard knight succeed and outdo (7) SURPASS {(~sir)SUR}{PASS}

16 Killer without licence, basically foreigner (8) STRANGER STRANGlER

17 Pot fell over reception area (8) ANTEROOM {ANTE}{MOOR<=}

19 Burning cafe blames missing guards (6) AFLAME {cAFe}{bLAMEs}

20 Dim position on the field? (3-3) MID-OFF {DIM}* [RA]

23 Intense wailing (4) KEEN [DD]

Reference List

Criminal = AL(Capone), Of in French = DE, Hesitation = ER, Following = F, Bill = AD, Earl = E, Female = F, Small = S