No 13802, Thursday 02 Mar 2023, Gussalufz

Solution to 28A 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.

ACROSS

1   Mushroom backed by Gussalufz — cracking recreational material for smoking device! (8) PIPECLAY {CEP<=}{I} in {PLAY}

5   A couple, wanting closure, built a small dome (6) CUPOLA {A+COUPLe}*

9   By going outside and enduring... (7) ETERNAL ExTERNAL

10 ...wind, Bertie had clipped laziness (7) INERTIA {wINd}{bERTIe}{hAd}

11 Grab energy in bulk (5) SEIZE {S{E}IZE}

12 What's that old rotten scum hiding? European ecstasy? (6,2) EXCUSE ME {EX}{CUS{E}M}{E}

13 Statement of customs dues (6) RIGHTS  (Correction (~rites) - See comments)

14 Selection of literature for me — revolutionary Annabhau Sathe, perhaps (8) REFORMER [T]

18 This process takes three to nine seconds, as reactivity is not great initially (8) SQUARING {S}{QUA}{Re...y}{Is}{Not}{Gr..t}

20 Adventurous, free-thinker alien going for love (6) HEROIC HER(-et+0)OIC

23 My companions and I intend to drink primarily, parting very loaded (4-2-2) WELL-TO-DO {WE'LL}{TO{Dr..k}O}

25 Reggae, finally, after endless country music (5) INDIE {r...aE}<=>{INDIa}

27 Drunkard returns drinks (they are unpredictable) (4-3) TOSS-UPS {SOT<=}{SUPS}

28 Non-stop liquor leads to trouble? Exactly, that's related (7) C?G?A?E (Addendum - COGNATE {COGNAc}{Tr...e}{Ex...y} - See comments)

29 Deeply, loudly rejected dropping regulars and calmed down (6) LULLED {DeEpLy+LoUdLy}<=

30 Chant quietly treasured by retired antique person like me (8) COMPILER {OM}{P} in {CILER<=}

DOWN

1   Priest comforts losing American forces (9) PRESSURES (Correction {P}{REaSSURES} - See comments)

2   Upset Nepali girl making an appeal (7) PLEAING {NEPALI*}{G}

3   Transformative device essentially planned in secret room with critical care (9) CONVERTER {CO{plaNned}VERT}{ER}

4   A student, idle, rolled joint (6) ALLIED {A}{L}{IDLE*}

6   They shoot infiltrating forces, resulting in retaliation (5) USERS [T<=]

7   Perfect parent supporting pot freely? Yours truly! (7) OPTIMUM {MUM}<=>{POT*}{I}

8   A horse, a rook, a bishop (4) ARAB {A}{R}{A}{B}

10 Desired jackfruit-cheddar sandwiches (6) ITCHED [T]

15 Busy penguin's put in work for accelerating (7,2) OPENING UP {PENGUIN}* in {OP}

16 Klepto periodically involved in dodgy career as conman (9) RACKETEER {RAC{KlEpTo}EER*}

17 Ambassador's very put out by Judge's fancies (6)  ENJOYS EN(-v+j)JOYS

19 Device blocks signal — is net usage up? (7) UTENSIL [T<=]

21 Weird, barmy old lad embodying Britain (7) ODDBALL {OLD+LAD}* over {B}

22 Secretly chomp on chorizo wrap (6) PONCHO [T]

24 Short tough drill (a watchmaker's tool) (5) LOUPE {LOUt}{PE}

26 Dead rising and other things ... (2,2) ET AL LATE<=

Reference List

By = X(Into), Energy = E, European = E, Ecstasy = E, Seconds = S, As = QUA, Alien = ET, Quietly = P, Priest = P, American = A, Girl = G, Student = L, Rook = R, Bishop = B, Very = V, Judge = J, Britain = B, Drill = PE

SAVITRIBAI PHULE

No 13801, Wednesday 01 Mar 2023, Avtaar

Solution to 13A 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.

ACROSS

1   Dull reading material (6) MATTER {MATTE}{R}

5   Rats start to nibble inside audio equipment after power cut (8) SNEAKERS {Sp{Ni...e}EAKERS}

9   Money lost in shopping centre by Avtaar gets announced every second (&lit.) (3-2-3) ALL-IN-ONE {mALL}{I}{aNnOuNcEd}

10 Hooked pipe filled with a mass (6) HAMOSE {H{A}{M}OSE}

11 Overwhelming song amidst picnic (12) OUTNUMBERING {OUT{NUMBER}ING}

13 Journalist returned on second March (4) ?E?O (Addendum - DEMO {ED<=}{MO} See comments  )

14 Go before receding volcano with boyfriend (8) ANTEDATE {ETNA<=}{DATE}

17 Lady heralding Queen holding women's coat from India (8) SHERWANI {SHE}{ER}{W}ANI Anno for ANI pending (Addendum - {SHE}{R{W}ANI} - See comments)

18 Agatha's work standard (4) NORM {N or M}

20 A river and sea corroded this range (6,6) SIERRA NEVADA*

23 Little beast's two young ones doing a flip-flop (3-3) DIK-DIK {KID}{KID}<=

24 English expert heading out towards the Orient (8) EASTERLY {E}{mASTERLY}

25 A set of books about unknown, empty metaphors that have contrary meanings (8) ANTONYMS {A}{NT}{ON}{Y}{Me...rS}

26 She misses a scheduled appointment with old husband and kid in retreat (2-4) NO-SHOW {W}{O}{H}{SON}<=

DOWN

2   Smart Alec stripped after babe undressed (4) ABLE {aLEc}<=>{bABe}

3   Focus of patriot and officer - my country's flag, perhaps? (9) TRICOLOUR {paTRIot}{COL}{OUR}

4   Places to spend the night close to lakes surrounded by moors (6) ROOSTS {ROO{l..eS}TS}

5   Uncertainty in stipulations covering reorganisation of Levant is beginning to unsettle Spain (15) SPECULATIVENESS {SPEC{LEVANT+IS+Un...e+E}S}

6   Old garments American pulled out for international parades (8) EXHIBITS {EX}{H(-a+i)IBITS}

7   Cambodian king held meetings engaging revolution's leaders (5) KHMER Acrostic

8   Right reasons to supply sound analysers (10) RESONATORS {R+REASONS+TO}*

12 Tradesman, basically trained in essentials of mechanics (10) TECHNICIAN {Tr...n+IN+mECHANICs}*&lit

15 Enjoyed hemming name on recycled women's wearand work overalls (9) DUNGAREES {DU{N}G}{(-s)AREE(+s)S}

16 God has transformed Kerala? Nonsense! (8) MALARKEY {MY} over {KERALA}*

19 Legendary doctor featured in "Retrospective of Glasnost - A watershed" (6) WATSON [T<=]

21 Entertaining player of Broncos? (5) RODEO [CD]

22 Cut, cold potatoes (4) ALOO ALOOf

Reference List

Reading = R, Power = P, Money = M, Mass = M, Journalist = ED, Second = MO, Queen = RANI, Women = W, English = E, Set of books = NT, Unknown = Y, With = W, Old = O, Husband = H, Stipulations = SPECS, Spain = E, American = A, International = I, Right = R, Name = N, God = MY!