No 14628, Saturday 01 November 2025, Dr. X

 ACROSS
1 Musical group's back, performing number in bar (4,4) ROCK BAND {BACK}*{ N} in {ROD}
5 European in a group beginning to analyse unicellular organism (6) AMOEBA {A} then {E} in {MOB}+{Analyse}

10 On reflection, portion of arithmetic is absolutely simple (5) BASIC [T<]
11 Injured near track, becoming active again (9) RENASCENT {NEAR*}{SCENT} Hands up for those who were trying to anagram near track
12 Shape of a rustic cross (9) FRACTIOUS*
13 Friend holding extremely elegant part of flower (5) PETAL {P{EleganT}AL}

14 Judge dismisses trials (6) JOUSTS {J}{OUSTS}
15 Artfully, I snared fish (7) SARDINE*

18 Bounce back in ring, pounding English boxer's face (7) REBOUND {ROUND} over {E}{Boxer}
20 Unwanted ads in middle of super composition over piano (3-3) POP-UPS {suPer}{OPU{P}S}
22 Reduce booze finally and run to become more attractive (5) CUTER {CUT}{boozE}{R}
24 Enthralled by hash, go astray in high spirits (9) MERRINESS {MESS} over {ERR}{IN}
25 Mocked boy penning poem on trip (9) LAMPOONED {LAD} over {POEM ON}*
26 Starter of fish in party, mostly not kosher (5) TREFA {Fish} in {TREAt}
27 Thailand's wonderful, beginning to love tour (6) TRAVEL {T}{RAVE}{Love} Agree!
28 Railway sleeper in sector is damaged (5-3) CROSS-TIE* BRB and Collins have it as a single word with no hyphen but OED has it with hyphen

DOWN
1 Reject immature puzzle by fellows (6) REBUFF {REBUs}{F}{F}
2 Crazy about ring secured by groom - was very expensive (4,1,4) COST A BOMB {COMB} over {BATS<}{O}
3 Starting all over again, having made a wrong entry in 1Across? (4,2,6,3) BACK TO SQUARE ONE [D & CD]
4 Rising star consuming hash, over-anxious (7) NERVOUS {SUN<} about {OVER}*
6 Want to get hold of suitable trousers (15) MISAPPROPRIATES {MISS} over {APPROPRIATE}
7 Standing in important ceremony on retirement (5) ERECT [T<]
8 Sick with onset of encephalitis, bitten by insects in archipelago (8) ANTILLES {ILL}{Encephalitis} in {{ANTS}

9 One inspired by songs about spiritual knowledge (6) GNOSIS {I} in {SONGS}*
16 Utensil used in temple to collect money (9) IMPLEMENT {IN TEMPLE}* over {M}
17 Chance to win contest and large ornamental band (8) BRACELET {BET} over {RACE}{L}

19 Faculty head departs to collect money order (6) DEMAND {DE{M}AN}{D}
20 Mean American knocked back socialist, one taking part in a procession (7) PARADER {PAR}{A}{RED<}
21 Organises caper to conduct jailbreak (6) ESCAPE [T]
23 Bug biting male associate in American city (5) TAMPA {TA{M}P}{A}

REFERENCE LIST

Number=N, European=E, Judge=J, English=E, Piano=P, Run=R, Thailand=T, Fellow=F, Ring=O, One=I, Money=M, Large=L, Departs=D, American=A, Male=M, Associate=A.