No 14361, Friday 20 Dec 2024, Afterdark

 RULES FOR POSTING COMMENTS FOR FRIDAY 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. 

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

ACROSS

8 Tom first goes to say, Puducherry to get a strong cord (6) CATGUT {CAT}{Goes}{UT}

9 Obsessed with one idea of building a new rocket (3-5) ONE TRACK {A N ROCKET}*

10 Torture comes from hostile guards; to be sacked and swap positions of two characters (8) AGGRIEVE {AGGR{+I-e}{+E}SS{-i}VE}

11 British prime minister almost is at war (6) BATTLE {B}{ATTLEe}

12 Intoxicated son's stress leads to depression primarily (6) STONED {S}{TONE}{Dep.....ion}

13 Prayer at entry, close to the gate is made up (8) ENTREATY {AT ENTRY {gatE}*

15 Tramp in cocktail parties (7) TRAIPSE*

17 Unfortunate one, learner at University of California, knowingly shallow (7) UNLUCKY {UN}{L}{UC}{KnowinglY}

20 Democratic artist over time gets brown sugar (8) DEMERARA {DEM}{RA} over {ERA}

22 Pups identified to have an advantageous aspect (6) UPSIDE {T}

23 Loved a party with radical journo (6) ADORED {A}{DO}{R}{ED}

25 Timidity of firm lad on the fringes? Get a measure (4,4) COLD FEET {CO}{LaD}{FEET}

26 Two pubs having a competition primarily, wild (8) BARBARIC {BAR}{BAR}{I}{Comp.....ion}

27 Person behind stumps is vital, according to report (6) KEEPER {KEE{~KEY}{PER}}

DOWN

1 Child changes cap for amusement (8) LAUGHTER {-d+L AUGHTER}

2 Mostly violent behaviour with a Sikh leader at England and advance (10) AGGRANDISE {AGGRo}{AND}{I}{Sikh}{E}

3 Guard's a railway official, new joined on first of December (6) ATTEND {A}{TTE}{N}{Dec.....ber}

4 Protected company, so almost sued for 50% cut (7) COVERED {CO}{VERy}{suED}

5 Prohibited part of speech shown at 0.10 (8) VERBOTEN {VERB}{O}{TEN}

6 Tailless beast is very dry (4) BRUT {BRUTe}

7 After removing ticks ultimately, treated coolest cat, say (6) OCELOT {COOLEsT}*

14 I reuse film innovatively to make a surface-active agent (10) EMULSIFIER*

16 Normal //flag (8) STANDARD {DD}

18 King's force gets starter-less free food (8) KEDGEREE {K}{EDGE}{fREE}

19 Wireless out of control, bird is on a conical pile in field (7) HAYCOCK {HAYwire}{COCK}

21 Make lovable climax with attention (6) ENDEAR {END}{EAR}

22 1 + 51 + 1000, egghead is distinct (6) ALIKE {A}{LI}{K}{Egg}

24 Polish last variety of mineral stone (4) RUBY {RUB}{varietY}

REFERENCE LIST

New=N, Guards=SS, British=B, Son=S, One=UN,I,A, Learner=L, University of California=UC, Democratic=Dem, Radical=R, Firm=CO, A=I, England=E, Railway offical=TTE.