No 14888, Wednesday 02 Sep 2026, Avtaar

Solution to 5A 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.

ACROSS

1   Returning vehicle inspectors recalled final instalment of monetary aid (7) SUBSIDY {BUS<=}{DIS<=}{m...rY}

5   Stretch of land almost entirely neighbouring ravine (7)  ?O?P?S? 

10 Women wear this amidst anniversaries (4) SARI [HIPS]

11 Couple heading off settler broadcast messages through flight (3,7) AIR LETTERS {pAIR}{SETTLER}*

12 Old women charged by soldier for some Glaswegian meat (6) HAGGIS {HAGS} over {GI}

13 In Shanghai on vacation, drinking controversial hot energy drink made from fruits (8) SMOOTHIE {Sh...aI} over {MOOT}{H} with {E}

14 Around Australia, extremely hot whale heaves every now and then, suffering in sweltering conditions (4,5) HEAT WAVES {A} in {HoT+WhAlEs+hEaVeS}*

16 Rough, old-fashioned diamonds replaced with crown of 27 (5) ROWDY (-d+r)ROWDY

17 Sensational Avtaar - lively grids (5) GAMEY {GA{ME}Y}

19 Crude behaviour from a couple of locals joining leaders in India slamming masses (9) BARBARISM {BAR}{BAR}{In...a}{Sl...g}{Ma...s}

23 Learned people in Kuwait are tilting towards the West (8) LITERATI [T<=] 

24 Stands slimy fellows when wife's gone (6) EASELS wEASELS

26 Attire of the Bali male in novel (10) HABILIMENT {THE+BALI+M+IN}*

27 Vermilion from game "Bleeding heart" (4) RUBY [DD] (Addendum  RUgBY - See comments)

28 Nothing about leaving the new clinic modernised is part of scientific practice (7) TECHNIC {THE+N+ClinIC}*

29 One gossiping page wanting toy (7)  RATTLER pRATTLER

DOWN

2   Blind character from Athens turned up a piece of fine workmanship (7) UNAWARE {NU<=}{A}{WARE}

3   Resistance-free cord in fiddle (5) STING STrING

4   Posters in river leading to ancient body of saline water (4,3) DEAD SEA {DE{ADS}E}{An...t}

6   Wild cat fur from old piece of land outside church (6) OCELOT  {O}{LOT} over {CE}

7   Set up empty pit with fire out for piece of confectionery (5,4) PETIT FOUR {PiT+FIRE+OUT}*

8   Packed together, English riders struggled (7) SERRIED {E+RIDERS}*

9   Question about topless indecent fabric cut from below (5-8)  CROSS EXAMINED {aCROSS}{EX}{MINED} Anno not clear (Addendum - {C}{gROSS}  with {DENIM}{AXE}<= - See comments}

15 Following that hard trailing article on humour (9) THEREWITH {H}<=>{THE}{RE}{WIT}

18 Add zest to batting in a match (7) ANIMATE {IN+A}*{MATE}

20 Taking out large beet leaf mixed in stock of meat (4,3) BEEF TEA {BEET+lEAF}*

21 Easy clue is, perhaps, this simple basically and not very verbose (7) SOLUBLE {Si...y}{vOLUBLE} Something is wrong in this clue See comments

22 Elk from a crater in Western India (6) WAPITI {W}{A}{PIT}{I}

25 Parade prop (5) STRUT [DD]

Reference List

Soldier = GI, Hot = H, Energy = E, Australia = A, Diamonds = D, Wife = W, Male = M, New = N, Page = P, Resistance = R, Old = O, Church = CE, English = E, About = C, Hard = H, On = RE, Large = L, Very = V, Western = W, India = I