No 14660, Tuesday 09 Dec 2025, Pixie Dust

Solution to 17A has been deliberately left unsolved and is to be answered 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 answer, if not solved by 1 PM

ACROSS

1   Priest and secular theologist of repute basically (6) PASTOR Acrostic &lit

5   Tense and upset with nut mainly endangering part of vehicle's exhaust system (8) TAILPIPE {T}{AIL}{PIP}{En...g}

9   Broadcast, Tesla managed with metal worker almost entirely (8) TRANSMIT {T}{RAN}{SMITh}

10 Understanding fellow is dominated essentially (6) WISDOM [T]

11 Rift over firstly endorsing Tina say, in a captivating book (4-6) PAGE-TURNER {GAP<=}{En...g}{TURNER}

12 Pet wildfowls seen now and then (4) IDOL wIlDfOwLs

13 Combines suites in building (8) UNITISES*

16 Seamstress rejects model for southern mariner (6) SAILOR (-t+s)SAILOR

17 Slip, Troy? Tear it into small pieces (4,2) ?R?P ?P (Addendum - TRIP UP {Troy}{RIP UP} - See comments)

19 Sweet canine's hurting (8) CHARMING {C}{HARMING}

21 Disciplined cycling to reach river in Venezuela (4) META (-ta}ME(+ta)TA

22 NCSE, repeatedly used characteristic property of maturity? (10) SENESCENCE [Letter Bank]

25 Film maker's lace work on back to front raincoat (6) WEBCAM {WEB}{MAC<=}

26 Tubes shattered, ears hurt! (8) URETHRAS*

27 Music Producer from Chelsea, Caroline never ate regularly (8) CLARINET {CheLseA+caRolIne+NevEr+aTe}

28 Shacks housing king's ribbons (6) SHREDS {SH{R}EDS}

DOWN

2   Big vessel going west north from Commissariat Road (5) AORTA [T<=] See comments

3   Drop can, extremely gauche (5) TINGE {TIN}{Ga..hE}

4   Sour words whispered? (7) RUMOURS {SOUR}* [RA]

5   Offensive rump condition (7) TETANUS {TET}{ANUS}

6   Reverend's levity makes sparks fly? Okay! (7)(2,5) IT WORKS (~wit irks to it works) Error in Enu? See comments

7   Look! This negative thinking made Mike spoil Moss? (9) PESSIMISM {PESSIMISM+LOOK}*={MIKE+SPOIL+MOSS}

8   Zoo patron's perhaps relating to very small organisms (9) PROTOZOAN*

14 Courage to dispose of (as per auditor) sender of electrical and chemical message (5,4) NERVE CELL {NERVE}{(~sell)CELL}

15 Narc taped tight performer (3,6) TAP DANCER*

18 Circle around most amazing man of letters? (7) POSTMAN {P{MOST*}AN}

19 Kid with old Dutch coin in passage (7) CONDUIT {CON}{DUIT}

20 A bishop's burden can be sore (7) ABSCESS {A}{B'S}{CESS}

23 Blue thermos filled with oxygen (5) ETHER [T] Oxygen?

24 Picked up burnt vegetable (5) CHARD (~charred)

Reference List

Tense = T, Tesla = T, Model = T, Southern = S, Troy = T, Canine = C, King = R, Bishop = B