Solution to 14A 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 Walk outside the French castle (6) PALACE {PA{LA}CE}
4 About security devices - they could have alarms (6) CLOCKS {C}{LOCKS}
8 Aunt just cut call in the middle - that's strange (7) UNUSUAL {aUNt}{jUSt}{cUt}{cALl} 'That's' is superfluous
9 Fuel nearly explodes in service stations (7) GARAGES {GAs}{RAGES}
11 Students of "Holy Cross Bangalore" basically adapted right away (10) SCHOOLBOYS {HOLY+CrOSS+B}* One 'O' less in the fodder
12 Fine couple, husband doing duty for wife (4) THIN T(+h-w)HIN
13 Snails may be seen regularly lying around in hollow (5) BASIN {sNaIlS+mAy+Be}<=
14 Compulsory stop checking for police vans essentially (8) E?F?R?E?
16 Most delighted with taste of puff pastry filling. Hats off! (8) HAPPIEST {Puff}{PIE} in {HATS}*
18 Checks rules for auditor (5) REINS (~reigns)
20 Receives good education through school primarily (4) GETS Acrostic
21 Data? It's repeatedly cast out (10) STATISTICS {ITS+ITS+CAST}* Letter Bank Fodder should be together See comments
23 Typical Donald nonsense basically rejected by Greenland angrily (7) GENERAL {GREENLAnd}*
24 Right, Arsenal perhaps missing good athletes (7) RUNNERS {R}{gUNNERS}
25 Extremely silly to stop practice (6) SYSTEM {SillY}{STEM}
26 Youngsters eventually enjoy retro bars (6) LEVERS {y...rS}{REVEL}<=
DOWN
1 Captain missing at ground causing alarm (5) PANIC CaPtAIN*
2 Reportedly reduces exercises (7) LESSONS (~lessens)
3 Tax restructuring restricts sellers essentially (9) CHALLENGE {CHA{seLLErs}NGE}
5 Esophageal reflux regularly increases (5) LEAPS {eSoPhAgEaL}<=
6 American actress and singer has got talent, right? (7) CHARTER {CH{ART}ER}
7 Remarkable types of rodents climbing up inside small cages (9) SPECIMENS {S}{P{MICE<=}ENS}
10 Aspiring model wearing red A-line top (9) POTENTIAL {T} in {A+LINE+TOP}*
13 Couple rents jewellery (9) BRACELETS {BRACE}{LETS}
15 Equipment's defective? If unused from the beginning - return (9) FURNITURE {IF+Un...d+RETURN}*
17 Signs of protests erupting, rejecting leader of Teheran (7) POSTERS PROtESTS*
19 Great batting future perhaps (7) INTENSE {IN}{TENSE}
21 Start with 1 Down? (5) SCARE [DD]
22 Maybe King and Queen scared about losing empire finally (5) CARDS SCAReD*
Reference List
The in French = LA, About = C, Right = R, Husband = H, Wife = W, Right = R, Good = G, Small = S, Model = T, Batting = IN
16a typo.
ReplyDelete21a not a letter bank.
(It's+it's+cast)*
11a of/o o'clock
DeleteNot necessarily like o'clock.
DeleteBasically may extend to 'of' as well- at least, that is what the setter might have intended.
"It's" repeatedly- goid observation!!
Very good clue as well
Yes, had considered OF = O'
DeleteEnjoyable Crossant!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteLiked the Royal couple in cards- 22D
ReplyDelete10D-red is the anagrind ?
ReplyDeleteYes, Red is the anagram indicator
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis is already explained in the main post. Why are you repeating it?
Delete14A, Enforced ( stop=end, police vans =force), end+force
ReplyDeleteChecking , essentially ( clue) compulsoy (def)
Incorrect annotation
Delete14A:enforced=compulsory
ReplyDeletestop(end) checking=containment ind.
(for) poli(ce)vans essentially
{en(for)(ce)d}
Looks fine. But I have a doubt about the clue-
DeleteUsually for 'essentially' we pick the middle letter/s of a word. But is it okay to pick middle of 2 words- PoliCE vans, in this case?
Yes. I too have come across this for the first time, taking essentially between two words. But, that seems to be the only possible solution.
DeleteWe had one from Hypatia on 5th Feb
Delete21 Found incomplete URL changes essentially goof up to cause conflict (3,4,2)
Yes, even I was unsure about using "essentially" across two words but decided to try anyway
DeleteGenerally, if essentially is used for 2 words it would be middle letters of both words-
DeletepoLIce vANs- LIAN
Just checked Hypatia's usage. Probably we probably overlooked it since goof up seemed to be connected words.
DeleteI even tried force fir police, but I could nit explain van
ReplyDeleteYes. Esp when police has a synonym force, to construct this way is round about.
DeleteCould have used office/palace type of words
Agree
Delete