No 13984, Monday 02 Oct 2023, Arden

Artwork by Prasanna

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.

ACROSS

1   Movie direction — teams are conservative... (4,4,5) WEST SIDE STORY {WEST}{SIDES}{TORY}

10 ...plus protecting top secret code (5) MORSE {MOR{Se...t}E}

11 Pancake reduces figure (4,5) DROP SCONE {DROPS}{CONE}

12 Haggle for what I get at one, maybe (9) NEGOTIATE*

13 Leaders asking votes — again in limited use (5) AVAIL Acrostic

14 Crazy having to criticize — they aren't hiding anything (7) NUDISTS {NU{DIS}TS}

16 Perhaps I must involve private banks to get momentum (7) IMPETUS {I+MUST}* over {Pr...tE}

18 Bank is back in terminal (7) DEPOSIT {DEPO{IS<=}T}

20 Shape tetragonal, not missing? Yes, missing (2,5) AT LARGE TEtRAGonAL*

22 Feeling, hearing animal noises made (5) MOOED (~mood)

24 Soldiers try and try again (9) REATTEMPT {RE}{ATTEMPT}

26 Indian role in China providing knowledge (9) IMPARTING {I}{M{PART}ING}

27 Ex-PM heard the blast (5) BLARE (~blair)

28 Set up cameleer's tent — you don't see much of them (5,8) TRACE ELEMENTS*

DOWN

2   Cross? See red finally (7) E?R?G?D (Addendum - ENRAGED {EN{RAGE}D} - See comments))

3   See artist working on monographs (9) TREATISES*

4   After one, another one becomes part of a political group in the country (5) INDIA {1}{ND{1}A}

5   One going north has ordered tories to get specialized knowledge (9) ESOTERICA {ACE<=} over {TORIES}*

6   Inventor least bothered (5) TESLA*

7   Warning about winding tract around the moon (4,3) RIOT ACT {TRACT}* over {IO}

8   Grand party by the sea — the government has the power to expropriate private property for public use (7,6) EMINENT DOMAIN {EMINENT}{DO}{MAIN}

9   Let best seller become beautiful literary work (6,7) BELLES LETTRES*

15 Odd state, without offer it's gloomy (9) SATURNINE {StAtE} over {TURN IN}

17 What can be eaten in China — a list (9) PALATABLE {PAL}{A}{TABLE}

19 Is it correct to circle the pole to succeed? (7) PROSPER {PRO{S}PER}

21 Bit of butter on top for security (7) RAMPART {PART}<=>{RAM}

23 Scientist's vehicle papers held up (5) DIRAC {CAR}{ID}<=

25 Fish comes between tangled lines (5) ANGLE [T]

Reference List

Criticize = DIS, Soldiers = RE(Royal Engineers), Party = DO, Papers = ID

The Sunday Crossword No 3274, Sunday 01 Oct 2023

ACROSS

1   Wise woman displays this in advance of chemistry? (10) PRESCIENCE {PRE}{SCIENCE}

6   Spy’s promise (4) BOND [DD]

9   Robots care about language (5-5) SERBO-CROAT*

10 Refrain from organ piece (4) STOP [DD]

12 Man and lady host gathering for poet (5,6) DYLAN THOMAS {MAN+LADY+HOST}*

15 Illicitly trade in what may protect limb (7) BOOTLEG {BOOT}{LEG}

16 Fails modern subject and blows a fuse (5,2) LOSES IT {LOSES}{IT}

17 Free lunch: main but no starters (7) UNCHAIN {lUNCH}{mAIN}

19 That man, fat, vacuous: Everyman with uncertain expression, having gained weight (7) HEFTIER {HE}{FaT}{I}{ER}

20 Lack of effort in cloakroom (11) CONVENIENCE [DD]

23 Wally rejected covering for playing area (4) TARP<=

24 Roving over dunes with Zulu? It’s a date! (10) RENDEZVOUS {OVER+DUNES+Z}*

25 Reportedly avoided where tears may be flowing (4) DUCT (~ducked)

26 Open-air locations where gunpowder may be disposed of? (3,7) TEA GARDENS [C&DD]

DOWN

1   What’s held by Royal Mail employee, in more ways than one? (4) POST [DD]

2   What’s enumerated Zion’s returnees assiduously, primarily? (4) EZRA Acrostic Semi&lit

3   Run, after group of three – pray for draw (5-7) CROWD-PLEASER {R}<=>{CROWD}{PLEASE}

4   Listen to Cockneys: drink up, one’s headed for the canal (7) EARPLUG {(~'ear)EAR}{GULP<=}

5   BBC1, perhaps in gutter (7) CHANNEL [DD]

7   Looking up, eye’s taking in fine rain over island (10) OPTIMISTIC {OPTI{MIST}{I}C}

8   Droopy ties rearranged in store (10) DEPOSITORY*

11 Children unbound by rules breaking zester, faulty appliance (5,7) CHEST FREEZER {CH}{EST{FREE}ZER*}

13 Old boy doomed to circle American cape hidden by fog? (10) OBFUSCATED {OB}{F{US}{C}ATED}

14 Little money invested in two scams, one’s fleeced in certain circles thus? (10) CONCENTRIC {CON}{CENT}{tRICk} 

18 Some tuna I’ve tenderised in state of ignorance (7) NAIVETE [T]

19 Spooner's cursed swine with guilty look (7) HANGDOG (~dang hog to hangdog)

21 Drill giving you headache? (4) BORE [C&DD]

22 Fantasist somewhat unchanged (2,2) AS IS [T]

Reference List