No 14631, Wednesday 05 November 2025, Avtaar

Standing-in for Colonel today. 

Solution to 1A 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 Judge finally ordered taking up discharged trooper's petition (7) ENTREAT {judgE}{N{TroopeR}EAT} see comments
5 Old coin from Switzerland in play (7) DRACHMA {DRA{CH}MA}

9 Notices on mobile vessels (7) REMARKS {RE}{M}{ARKS}
10 Master upset about sex with old Republican getting reflected in blue films (7) EROTICA {AC{IT}{O}{R}E}<
11 Not feeling remorse, Unionist called to bury remains (9) UNASHAMED {U}{N{ASH}AMED}
12 Gaudy, wild women leaving after tango (5) TACKY {wACKY}<=>{T}
13 Every other member of new poor class initially given hard time (5) EPOCH {nEw PoOr}{Class}{H}
15 Evenly cut, thin tofu-okra toast - payment on the counter (3,3,3) TIT FOR TAT {ThIn ToFu-OkRa ToAsT}
17 Legislator entering the bar flourished headgear (6,3) BOWLER HAT {OWL} in {THE BAR}*

19 Map regularly seen in Athens and India pulled back (5) INSET {{aThEnS} {aNd}{I}}<
22 American leaves taking son on a voyage (2,3) AT SEA {A}{T{S}EA}
23 Bent CEO offering incentives at first, corrupted monk living in a religious community (9) COENOBITE*
25 Last piece of apple pancake out of a busy joint (7) KNEECAP {applE PaNCAKE}*
26 Hygienic parking in a Southern state withdrawn (7) ASEPTIC {P} in {A}{S}{CITE<}
27 Old-style photograph developed patiently, trimming panel at the edges cutting out sources of artificial light (7) TINTYPE {PaTIENTlY} paneL At trimmed? See comments.

28 One rescued from grotto returned with bits of unusually etched eoliths (7) EVACUEE {CAVE<){Unusually Etched Eoliths}

DOWN
1 Fellow avoiding fourteen cracks on the way (2,5) EN ROUTE {fOURTEEN}*
2 Drum it with power - Onam's round the bend (7) TIMPANO {IT P ONAM}*

3 World starting to debate avoiding shortage (5) EARTH {dEARTH}
4 Random chatter - teams are missing in long-drawn game (4,5) TEST MATCH CHaTTer TEAMS}*
5 Be apprehensive about department study (5) DREAD {D}{READ}
6 With better grounds, keep probing Nairobi after expulsion of British national (1,8) A FORTIORI {nAIRObI} over {FORT}
7 Look around in shed for short mop (7) HAIRCUT {AIR}{C} in {HUT}
8 Shrink obsessed with bottoms of pretty, voluptuous patient (7) ANALYST {ANAL}{prettY}{voluptuouS}{patienT}
14 Order of governance that is originally recorded on vault kept in empty hallway (9) HIERARCHY {IE}{Recorded}{ARCH} in {HallwaY}
16 Cover of book "Bird and the French Batman" (5,4) TITLE PAGE {TIT}{LE}{PAGE}
17 Frame leader in bribery scam (7) BRACKET {Bribery}{RACKET}
18 Banks in Warwickshire behind cowboy film (7) WESTERN {WarwickshirE}{STERN}
20 Dog lost his heart, exhausted near animal farm, reportedly (4-3) SHIH-TZU {HIS}*{HearT}{~ZOO}{ZU}

21 From Eritrea - clean, sweet syrup (7) TREACLE [T]
23 Wood gets picked up (5) COPSE {~COPS}
24 The conclusion of a good over from the South End trapping Avtaar (5) OMEGA {A G O}< over ME

REFERENCE LIST

Switzerland=CH, On=Re, Mobile=M, Sex=It, Old=O, Republican=R, Unionist=U, Women=W, Tango=T, India=I, American=A, Son=S, Parking=P, Southern=S, Fellow=F, Power=P, Department=D, British=B, National=N, Around=C (Circa), That is=ie, The French= Le (the in French language), Good=G, Over=O.