No14653, Monday 01 Dec 2025, Hypatia

Solution to 28A 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   Nation got closer to leader - Gandhi, say (6) INDIRA {INDI{l...eR}A}

9   Fearless Romeo enters - cool and indifferent (8) INTREPID {IN}{T{R}EPID}

10 Spooner asked to quote newlywed's positive outlook (6,4) BRIGHT SIDE (cite bride to bright side)

11 Andamanese tribe's count grew against all odds (4) ONGE {cOuNt+GrEw}

12 Firm starting to manufacture basic object (8) COMPLAIN {CO}{Ma...e}{PLAIN}

14 Register players with league at first (6) ENLIST {E}{N}{L}{1ST}

15 Essentially saw dust on ground floor (7) ASTOUND {sAw}{DUST+ON}*

17 Horrible bar poorly maintained by staff (7) MACABRE {MAC{BAR*}E} 

20 Preserve wooden frame for Harvard degree, say (6) EMBALM {E{MBA}LM}

22 Fancy parties infiltrated by a freeloader (8) PARASITE {PAR{A}SITE*}

24 Oddly seen in Algerian city (4) AGRA AlGeRiAn

25 Independent artist and a loner, somewhat (5,5) STAND ALONE [T]

27 Prepared manually by female attendant, reportedly (8) HANDMADE (~handmaid) 

28 Musk completely agitated by this gutsy lot's meme (6) P?U?K?  

DOWN

1   Huge animal cycling around New York’s centre (8) ENORMOUS {(+e)EMOUS(-e)} over {N}{yORk}

2   Condiment or item saving time (4) HING tHING

3   Sacred chant of person culminating in connect with God (6) MANTRA {MAN}{c...cT}{RA}

4   Slaves working in short skirts, say (7) MINIONS {MINI{ON}S}

5   English tutors initially create puzzles and so on (8) ETCETERA {E}{Tu...s}{CREATE}*

6   So, learn in American city (3,7) NEW ORLEANS {SO+LEARN}* [RA]

7   Links bypassing boy bands (6) RIDGES bRIDGES

13 Publicity work by a government with what's behind MAGA! (10) PROPAGANDA {PR}{OP}{A}{G}{AND}{magA} &lit

16 Greeting Sankara Mutt’s head in assembly (8) NAMASKAR {SANKARA+Mutt}*

18 Search covering crazy ants and reptile (3,5) RAT SNAKE {R{ANTS*}AKE}

19 Lecturer in top school stepping up with hesitation (7) SPEAKER {PEAK}<=>{S} with {ER}

21 Smug hallmark cloaking ancient ruler (6) MUGHAL [T]

23 Web designer rises and goes down again? (6) REDIPS<=

26 Flashy nobleman's posh for king (4) LOUD LO(+u-r)UD

Reference List

Romeo = R, Cool = IN, Players = E,N(East,North in Bridge), League = L, New = N, Time = T, God = RA, English = E, Boy = B, Publicity = PR, Government = G, School = S, Posh = U, King = R