Special, Sunday 25 Feb 2024, Ghaza

Three answers per commenter till 6 PM (Annotations compulsory) 

Please submit all your answers in one comment.  

(COMMENTS ENTERED WITH LESS THAN THREE ANSWERS/ANNOTATIONS WILL BE DELETED WITHOUT NOTICE, UNLESS THE COMMENTER SPECIFIES THAT IT IS A COMPENSATION FOR A REPEAT)

Starred clues do not have a definition but they have a common theme.

Enjoy.

The Sunday Crossword No 3295, Sunday 25 Feb 2024

ACROSS

1   Producing a lot of fear? Very much (10) DREADFULLY {DREAD}{FULLY}

6   Milky duck, mate? (4) OPAL {O}{PAL}

9   Around forest, finally decomposing, socks that'll feed plants (6,4) GARDEN HOSE {ARDEN} in {d...nG}{HOSE}

10 Time flying saucer returned to give us something to eat (4) TOFU {T}{UFO<=}

12 Incognisant – unsettled – backing (11) SANCTIONING*

15 Long time back, Everyman's included as potential success (7) NOMINEE {EON<=} over {MINE}

16 I'm surprised seeing Frenchman with salad, as a rule (4,3) OHMS LAW {OH}{M}{SLAW}

17 How you may draw back, wanting time: mistakenly (2,5) IN ERROR {IN tERROR}

19 Is the writer tucking into fish somewhere on the Med? (7) TUNISIA {TUN{IS}{I}A}

20 Blow a fuse, as you did with News of the World, Mr. Murdoch? (4,4,3) LOSE ONES RAG [C&DD]

23 Seabird or two, as we can hear (4) ERNE (~ earn (2D))

24 Hot Priest, we're told, achieved a noisy mode of transport (10) HELICOPTER {H}{ELI}{(~copped a)COPTER}

25 Soft, incredibly lustrous kimono at the outset? (4) SILK Acrostic &lit

26 Who shouted 'Eureka!' and screamed 'Hi!' running around? (10) ARCHIMEDES*

DOWN

1   Appreciates accommodation (4) DIGS [DD]

2   Gross dollop of Béarnaise (4) EARN [T]

3   Part of salad board in actor's space (8,4) DRESSING ROOM {DRESSING}{ROOM}

4   Get mad? Aunt rethinks anger at heart (7) UNHINGE {aUNt}{retHInks}{aNGEr}

5   Monarchy taking part in raffle: so thoughtful! (7) LESOTHO [T]

7   Academic reimagined islets – to no avail (10) PROFITLESS {PROF}{ISLETS*}

8   Raw, one careens with luge and sweats, perhaps (10) LOUNGEWEAR {RAW+ONE+LUGE}*

11 Terrible scene, woven on goddam weaving device (4,3,5) DOOM AND GLOOM {ON+GODDAM}*{LOOM}

13 Cricketers botched friendlies (10) INFIELDERS*

14 Aloof crossword setter's public image, ultimately: awful (10) IMPERSONAL {I'M PERSONA}{a...uL}

18 Hoofed mammals travelled to this place in East London (3,4) ROE DEER (~ rode 'ere)

19 Language used when specifying a kind of bath (7) TURKISH [DD]

21 Nail that may be put to use in stable (4) STUD [DD]

22 Most of cheek in undergarments (4) BRAS BRASs

Reference List

Time = T, Frenchman = M, Hot = H

No 14106, Saturday 24 Feb 2024, Hypatia

Wordplays.com has restarted it's old tricks again by picking up Hypatia's crossword to show the solutions!!!

ACROSS

1   Cowards exploit special work sacking you finally (8) MILKSOPS {MILK}{S}{OPuS}

5  Slowly, Adiga novel connects to core of B'lore (6) ADAGIO {ADIGA}*{blOre}

10 Essentially recall horse cart around fierce competition (3,4) RAT RACE Anno pending <= See comments

11 Sailor performing "show-and-tell", lost when drunk (3,4) OLD SALT {ShOw+AnD+TeLL}*

12 Conscious of a funeral (5) AWAKE {A}{WAKE}

13 Support for stocking American consumer banks (9) SUSPENDER {S{US}PENDER}

14 Quarter joyful after relaxing US holiday (6,2,4) FOURTH OF JULY {FOURTH}{JOYFUL}*

18 Unfortunately, a taciturn student's boring i.e., tongue tied (12) INARTICULATE {A+TACITURN}* over {L} in {IE}

21 Taking risk ultimately forces new board to collapse (9) BREAKDOWN {risK} in {NEW+BOARD}* Semi&lit

23 Cool Kung Fu Panda's a large mammal (5) HIPPO {HIP}{PO}

24 General change reflected in river current (3,4) LEE TIDE {LEE}{EDIT<=}

25 Slaves working in short skirts (7) MINIONS {MINI{ON}S}

26 Occasionally, rich family's met lawyer coolly (6) CALMLY {riCh+fAmiLys+Met+LawYer}

27 Body building (8) ASSEMBLY [DD]

DOWN

1   Host starting to make milk products on the counter (6) MYRIAD {Make}{DAIRY<=}

2   Lease adjacent to aerospace co.? That’s disastrous (6) LETHAL {LET}{HAL}

3   Cops struggling with a gate to reach victim (9) SCAPEGOAT {COPS+A+GOAT}*

4   Wasted resources in game of chance? One needs to let off steam! (8,6) PRESSURE COOKER {P{RESOURCES*}OKER}

6   Basically duck or dive, generally evade! (5) DODGE Acrostic &lit

7   State managed to get German university in Greece (8) GRANDEUR {G{RAN}{DE}{U}R}

8   Stray holders of posts in offices (3-5) OUT TRAYS {STRAY}* [RA]

9   Laurie's medical genius and cast in Sherlock, say, are celebrities (9,5) HOUSEHOLD NAMES {HOUSE}{HOL{AND*}MES} 

15 Reverend's talk followers? No way! (3,6) FAT CHANCE (~chat fans to fat chance)

16 Bad coalition making NATO this ruthless (8)  DIABOLIC {BAD+COaLItIoa}* [CA]

17 We're wandering in trip for so long (8) FAREWELL {FA{WERE*}LL}

19 Pick up father and see doctor in confidence (6) APLOMB {PA<=}{LO}{MB}

20 Meek as described by anonymous eyewitnesses (6) MOUSEY [T]

22 Finish off eating a bit of red plankton (5) KRILL {K{Red}ILL} Krill are not Plankton. They feed on Plankton.

Reference List

Special = S, Student = L, Cool = HIP, German = DE, University = U, Father = PA, See = LO, Doctor = MB

No 14105, Friday 23 Feb 2024, Hypatia

RULES FOR POSTING COMMENTS ON FRIDAYS ONLY

All those who are not regular commenters but who are rookie commenters or silent followers of the blog are requested to post answers with annotations in the comments section. In your own interest please avoid looking up the answers from the interactive version. Don't hesitate to post your annotations, in case you make a mistake in the annotation someone will correct it with the right annotation.

PLEASE NOTE, SOLUTIONS WITHOUT ATTEMPTING THE ANNOTATIONS WILL BE DELETED

Each commenter is requested to post only 5 answers thereby giving others also a chance to participate. Please provide all your answers in one comment.

Regular solvers/Veterans can post 1 answer each, but after 11 AM only.

Thanks for the response, here's the regular blog.

ACROSS

7   Sourness essentially from lime and gold fish in hodge-podge (11) GALLIMAUFRY {GALL}{lIMe}{AU}{FRY}

8   Steal cycles in a round (3) ORB (-r)O(+r)RB

10 Playboy's comb (4) RAKE [DD]

11 Minister retracting ban on Bangladeshi imports initially (5) RABBI {BAR<=}{Ba...i}{Im...s}

12 Chiefly romantic offering, serenading sweetheart! (4) ROSE {Ro...c}{Of...g}{Se...g}{swEet} Semi&lit

13 Passage extracted from novels I actually recalled (5) AISLE [T<=]

15 American soldiers taking part in Salute to union (9) AGREEMENT {A}{GREE{MEN}T}

16 Say Dennis is changing name at Church (6) MENACE {NAME*}{CE}

18 Women wait outside for turn (6) SWERVE {S{W}ERVE}

21 Angry players seen fighting were rational (4,5) MADE SENSE {MAD}{ES}{SEEN*}

23 Kid eats bananas and the last piece of cake (5) TEASE {EATS*}{cakE}

25 Bond's usually OK, especially undercover (4) YOKE [T]

26 Old and dreary smell (5) ODOUR {O}{DOUR}

27 Sad fool retired without money (4) GLUM {MU{L}G}<=

28 Pick up, scatter and stitch (3) SEW (~sow)

29 Thorough inspection of English bridge after cruise in ship (5,6) STRIP SEARCH {E}{ARCH}<=>{S{TRIP}S}

DOWN

1   Hanger-on in wild American parties (8) PARASITE {A+PARTIES}

2   Plant's only losing money essentially (4) ALOE ALOnE

3   Shrewd asset manager, let us select regularly (5) SMART {asSet+ManAgeR+leT}

4   As per Spooner, tramp embraces cheats (7) HUMBUGS (~ bum hugs to humbugs)

5   Running shoes for coaches (8) TRAINERS [DD]

6   Prayer's regularly put up in worship room (6) ORISON {iN+wOrShIp+RoOm}<=

9   First show of love in Bollywood that is concerning (8) PREMIERE {PREM}{IE}{RE}

14 Made light of abrupt delay even in chaos (8) LEAVENED {DELAy+EVEN}*

17 They bravely cross Europe to Oman's capital in a chopper, perhaps (3,5) EYE TOOTH {THEY}* over {E}{TO}{Oman}

19 Explorer held up by hiccup severely (8) VESPUCCI [T<=]

20 Country blending into sea (7) ESTONIA*

22 Starting from Oliver Twist, reads books and relishes (6) ADORES {Ol...r} in {READS}

24 Active teacher's up to visit Bangkok on vacation (5) BRISK {SIR<=} in {Ba...oK}

27 Attack nanny (4) GOAT {GO+AT}

Reference List

American = A, Soldiers = MEN, Church = CE, Women = W, Players = E,S Old = O, Money = L, English = E, Ship = SS, Love in Bollywood = PREM, Concerning = RE, Europe = E

No 14104, Thursday 22 Feb 2024, Dr. X

Solution to 12A 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 & 24 What demolition workers might do to make audience applaud enthusiastically (5,3,5,4) BRING THE HOUSE DOWN [DD]

8   Allow member to enter passage into mine (5) ADMIT {AD{M}IT}

9   Incessant drinking - starting to become aloof (9) UNBENDING {UN{Be...e}ENDING}

11 Money gone, stolen outside West Hollywood (10) TINSELTOWN {TIN}{SELTO{W}N*}

12 Declining number of bees in capital of Polynesian country (4) ?P?A (Addendum - APIA APIAn - See comments)

14 Fellow entertaining a crowd endlessly in Mexican city (7) GUAYMAS {GU{A}Y}{MASs}

16 Gap in combustible rock without carbon is shaped like an egg (7) OVOIDAL {cO{VOID}AL}

17 One making allegations about rebellious cocaine addict (7) ACCUSER {CA<=}{C}{USER}

19 Media magnate is often defending Republican party (7) MURDOCH {MU{R}{DO}CH}

21 Debonair billionaire touring revolutionary city in Middle East (4) IBRI [T<=]

22 Try sweets perhaps after ordinary seafood dish (6,4) OYSTER STEW {TRY+SWEETS}*<=>{O}

25 Analysis of real-time info finally becoming better (9) MELIORATE {REAL+TIME+infO}*

26 CPR, oxygen saves delegate (5) PROXY [T]

27 Pay for stable over exotic isle in due course (2,4,7) AT ONES LEISURE {ATONE}{S{ISLE*}URE}

DOWN

2   Old chap abducted by revolting character in European country (7) ROMANIA {O}{MAN} in {AIR<=}

3   Lowest possible rent, home's close to market (10) NETHERMOST {RENT+HOMES}*{m...eT}

4   Dump husband, press for custody (5) TRUST ThRUST

5   Bowl more craftily, allowing no space (5,4) ELBOW ROOM*  {BOWL+MORE}* over {0}

6   Has drinks, loses head (4) OWNS dOWNS

7   Skidded and hurtled over edge (7) SLIPPED {S{LIP}PED}

8   Visual problem in a spot with murky mist (11) ASTIGMATISM {A}{STIGMA}{MIST*}

10 Girl entertaining old wealthy rogue to have sex (2,3,3,3) GO ALL THE WAY {G{O}AL}{WEALTHY*}

13 Very mean reviews in press primarily show envious reaction (4,6) SOUR GRAPES {SO}{URG{PAR<=}E}{Show}

15 They are used by graffiti artists in bridges to cover beam with bit of colour (5,4) SPRAY CANS {SP{RAY}{Co...r}ANS}

18 Piece of armour of king in fancy closet (7) CORSLET {CO{R}SLET*}

20 Come first, getting gold in the open air (7) OUTDOOR {OUTDO}{OR}

23 Gist of article on case of malpractice (5) THEME {THE}{Ma...cE}

24 See 1 Across

Reference List

Member = M, Money = TIN, West = W, About = CA, Cocaine = C, Republican = R, Party = Do, Ordinary = O, Old = O, Husband = H, Mean = PAR, King = R

No 14103, Wednesday 21 Feb 2024, Dr. X

Solution to 8A 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   Difference in attitudes breaking up ageing parent and son essentially (10,3) GENERATION GAP {AGEING+PARENT+sOn}* &lit

8   Forces controlled by Maoist in underground revolution (5) U?I?S ()

9   Men reviewed problem with main knob controlling church pipes (5,4) ORGAN STOP {OR}{SNAG<=}{TOP}

11 & 18 Detailed narrative in breezy weather report? (4-2-4,7) BLOW-BY-BLOW ACCOUNT {C&DD]

12 Hotel just needs strong locks (4) HAIR {H}{fAIR}

14 Characters in terrible unrest around America (7) NATURES {N{A}TURES*}

16 Rebellious writer in European country acting out awkwardly (7) INEPTLY {I{PEN<=}TaLY}

17 Worrying about daughter hooking up on the internet (1-6) E-DATING {E{D}ATING}

19 Granitic rock is found in lawn (7) GREISEN {GRE{IS}EN}

21 Every beauty's topless (4) EACH pEACH

22 Swindle by phoney tourism company (10) CONSORTIUM {CON}{TOURISM*}

25 More courageous with money belt (9) DOUGHTIER {DOUGH}{TIER}

26 Dog picking up right scent (5) TRAIL {T{R}AIL}

27 Gain an advantage over some charlatan easily (5,1,5,2) STEAL A MARCH ON*

DOWN

2   Remove part of text from it due to blunders (4,3) EDIT OUT* &lit

3   Order of demolition finally liberates Cold War capital (4,6) EAST BERLIN  {d...oN+LIBERATES}*

4   America, Britain hosting gathering about nuclear weapon (1-4) A-BOMB {A}{MOB<=}{B}

5   Popular girl arguing is getting under one's skin (9) INGROWING {IN}{G}{ROWING}

6   Number series, new for student (4) NINE (-l+n)NINE

7   Seduce a model with finesse, overcoming resistance (7) ATTRACT {A}{T}{T{R}ACT}

8   Myth or otherwise, a blunder to consume dope (5,6) URBAN LEGEND {A+BLUNDER}* over  {GEN}

10 Socialite raised drink, cuddling pretentious maiden in a retreat (5,6) PARTY ANIMAL {LAP<=} over {ARTY}{M+IN+A<=}

13 Erotic item shaped like a heavenly body (10) METEORITIC*

15 Unmarried Italian woman and character cavorting on air (9) SIGNORINA {SIGN}{ON+AIR}*

18 See 11 Across

20 Largely formal event featuring a Greek dish (7) STIFADO {STIFf}{A}{DO}

23 Extremely scary broadcast about Middle Eastern country (5) SYRIA {ScarY}{AIR<=}

24 Hunter heartlessly traps bird (4) RHEA [T]

Reference List

Men = OR, Hotel = H, Strong = F, America = A, Acting = A, Daughter = D, Right = R, Britian = B, Girl = G, New = N, Student = L, Model = T, Resistance = R. Dope = GEN, Maiden = M, Event = DO

No 14102, Tuesday 20 Feb 2024, Dr. X

Solution to 8A 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 & 26 Conceited reason to buy new footwear (3,3,3,4,5) TOO BIG FOR ONES BOOTS [C&DD]

8   Nevertheless getting rid of old planes (5) E?E?S (Addendum - EVENS {EVEN So} - See comments)

9   Prince inherits rare medical condition (9) NEPHRITIS {P+INHERITS}*

11 Wild animal behind mysterious den surrounded by round blue plants (10) DANDELIONS {LION}<=>{DEN}* in {SAD<=}

12 Nail criminal crossing river (4) BRAD {B{R}AD}

14 Tempts by endlessly seducing artfully (7) INDUCES {SEDUCINg}*

16 One sold fresh strips of pasta (7) NOODLES*

17 Mexican dish contains most cheap brand of sauce (7) TABASCO {TA{BASe}CO}

19 Romp with primarily sexy male in escapade (7) SCAMPER {Sexy}{CA{M}PER}

21 Excited since beginning of game (4) AGOG {AGO}{Game}

22 Pub having unhealthy, substandard oriental menu (4,2,4) BILL OF FARE {B{ILL}{OFF}AR}{E}

25 Tripping on pure LSD in show (9) SPLENDOUR*

26 See 1

27 Little shots drunk after consuming drugs - they make women higher? (8,5) STILETTO HEELS {LITTLE+SHOTS}* over {EE}

DOWN

2   Love exotic dance featuring island's sea nymph (7) OCEANID {O}{CEAN{I}D*}

3   Spooner's coffin found in wreck (6,4) BASKET CASE (~casket base to basket case)

4   Bottled spirits? That is gin, rum (5) GENII {IE+GIN}*

5   Postpone broadcast about nuclear rivals (9) OPPONENTS {POSTPONE}* over {N}

6   Bulldog repeatedly bites fiend (4) OGRE [T]

7   Note a bit of lump within the intestine (7) ENTERAL {ENTER}{A}{Lump}

8   Taken in by charms, misdeed by model has an unhappy outcome (4,2,5) ENDS IN TEARS {END{SIN}{T}EARS}

10 Encounter maiden lost in distress around byroads (4,7) SIDE STREETS {mEET} in {DISTRESS}*

13 Master uttered with enthusiasm about boy's ethical courage (5,5) MORAL FIBRE {M}{ORAL}{FI{B}RE}

15 Angry leader of insurgents trapped by stalwart engaged in a decisive gunfight (4,2,3) SHOT IT OUT {S{HOT}{In...s}TOUT}

18 Brochure in trunk about deer in retreat (7) BOOKLET {BOO{ELK<=}T}

20 Wolf and ape injured pheasant (7) PEAFOWL*

23 Passage to be performed slowly by girl in vocal round (5) LARGO {G} in {ORAL<=}

24 Reviewed isolated organic compound (4) ENOL <=

Reference List

Old = O, Prince = P, River = R, Male = M, Island = I, Nuclear = N, Model = T, Maiden = M, Master = M, Boy = B, Girl = L