No 14829, Thursday 25 Jun 2026, Gussalufz

Solution to 2D 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 answer, if not solved by 1 PM.

NICE PAIN

ACROSS

1   Workers laid off? Tad fishy (3,5) DAY SHIFT*

6   Ignore outrageous abyss next to eastern edge of camp (4,2) PASS BY {ABYSS}*<=>{camP}

9   The two of us texted for dinner options? (4) MENU (~ ME 'N U}

10 Bali trek is tailor-made for rugged two-wheelers (5,5) TRAIL BIKES*

11 Straight storyteller capturing fringes of lesbian lore (6) LINEAR {LI{l...aN}{lorE}AR}

12 Detective probing American dude's murder (8) HOMICIDE {HOMI{CID}E}

13 Om: "I bit mice, dubiously imitating nature" (10) BIOMIMETIC*

15 Gussalufz accompanying gangster for lunch? (4) MEAL {ME}{AL}

17 Unchanged support after leader's ouster (2,2) AS IS bASIS

18 Son, sleep long on ship, for energy (10) SNAPPINESS {S}{NAP}{PINE}{SS}

20 Antelope ecosystem buckled after all-round grazing (8) STEMBUCK [T] Couldn't find this spelling anywhere

22 Spicy stew leads to rectal agony (painful inflammation) (6) RAGOUT {Re...l}{Ag..y}{GOUT}

24 Young abstainers, taking off clothes, give up and loudly dance on ecstasy (4,2,4) BAND OF HOPE {aBANDOn}{F}{HOP}{E}

26 Head priest dined (4) PATE {Pr...t}{ATE}

27 Party offering to preserve copy (6) CANAPE {CAN}{APE}

28 Grasshoppers returned regularly, used midday attacks (8) KATYDIDS {uSeD+mIdDaY+aTtAcKs}<=

DOWN

2   Rampant tantrum and rage in resort, for starters (9) A?E?I?I?S (Addendum - APERITIFS {S{FIT}{IRE}PA}<= - See comments)

3   A brute, lacking limits in behaviour, goes after small fry (5)  SAUTE {A}{brUTE}<=>{S}

4   Acting in period features (international) (7) INTERIM {IN TER{I}M}

5   Half of trailer cut for interval (3) TEA TEAser

6   European with microphone, offering contentious argument (7) POLEMIC {POLE}{MIC}

7   Train workers to crawl through hairy mews with caution, ultimately (9) SWITCHMEN {ITCH}* in {MEWS*}{c...oN} 

8   Badaam at first, then take paratha? (5) BREAD {Ba...m}{READ}

12 Ah, turning pitch, where some bowlers might be rested (7) HATRACK {AH<=}{TRACK}

14 Indian state in upheaval around healthcare staff cut: news outlets (4,5) MASS MEDIA {ASSAM<=} over {MEDIcs}

16 Like the middle of hamburger slices—seasoned and battered (9) ASSAULTED {AS}{SA{h..bUr..r}LTED}

18 Very upset, not right dish (7) SOUFFLE {SO}{rUFFLE}

19 A fine, extremely encyclopedic Essence of Anatomy textbook (7) PERFECT {PER}{F}{En...iC}{anaTomy}

21 ChatGPT, possibly possessed by craftiness, goes overboard; this might go over one's head (5) TIARA {AR{AI}T}<=

23 Road-racing? A pedestrian crossing sides stared in shock (5) GAPED [T]

25 Steep drop terminal for Christmas tree (3) OAK sOAK

Reference List

Gangster = AL(Capone), Son = S, Ship = SS, Loudly = F, Ecstasy = E, Small = S, Right = R, Fine = F