No 14623, Monday 27 Oct 2025, Vidwan

Solution to 25A 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

8   Spooner's blending alternate for a mocktail (6,4) VIRGIN MARY (merging vary to virgin mary)

9   Bare element for God of the wisdom (4) ODIN iODINe

10 Bail at once? Difficult for criminal (10) ACTIONABLE* Semi&lit

11 Love comical mouse (4) VOLE*

12 Dance was complicated, like a puzzle (6) JIGSAW {JIG}{WAS*}

13 Young flier jiggles, gets in line occasionally (8) NESTLING {GETS+IN+LiNe}*

15 Wrong returns? Run! (4) TROT<=

16 Cell where the two, together welcomed love (5) BOOTH {BO{O}TH}

17 Every pain in the end comes to the fore (4) EACH (+e)EACH(-e)

19 A very loud score reaching inwardly towards the core (8) AFFERENT {A}{FF}E{RENT} E from?

21 Agitating over European Union works, totally! (6) OEUVRE {OVER+EU}* 

22 Unwritten unbounded ethics (4) ORAL mORALs

23 Doctor submits a case of subocular squint (10) STRABISMUS {SUBMITS+A+Su...aR}*

24 Pluto's cold circle (4) DISC {DIS}{C}

25 Tell about new English royal's unexpected meeting (10) R?N?O?N?E? (Addendum - RENCOUNTER - {RE{N}{COUNT}{E}{R} - See comments)

DOWN

1   More sticky like power and lust! That is right! (8) PITCHIER {P}{ITCH}{IE}{R}

2   Technical task! Go rushing! As fast as possible! (7,3,5) AGAINST THE CLOCK*

3   Lost without direction, Elba won all around, that is something beyond comprehension (10) UNKNOWABLE {sUNK}{ELBA+WON}*

4   Measure of pollution by a person or vehicle, good base to record on paper (6,9) CARBON  FOOTPRINT {CAR}{BON}{FOOT}{PRINT}

5   Bits found in twisted safety belts (4) BYTE [T<=]

6   Fitting in elusive clue on a French culinary style (8,7) NOUVELLE CUISINE*

7   Substitute flipper getting sick (4,2) FILL IN {F{ILL}IN}

14 Most choose fancy look over piece of basic student literature (10) SCHOOLBOOK {CHOOSe}*{L{Ba..c}OOK}

18 Song about purpose of conveyor belt (8) CAROUSEL {CARO{USE}L}

20 Ban because of command (6) FORBID {FOR}{BID}

23 Antidotes are distributed after end of trials (4) SERA {ARE}*<=>{t...lS}

Reference List

Very loud = FF, Cold = C, About = RE, English = E, Royal = R, Power = P, Right = R, Good = BON