No 14076, Saturday 20 Jan 2024, Dr. X

ACROSS

1   Littering in street by extremely rude group (8) STREWING {ST}{RudE}{WING}

5   Second best comedian (6) SCREAM {S}{CREAM}

10 Nobleman in pub with single model (7) BARONET {BAR}{ONE}{T}

11 Usual values of fancy manors around lake (7) NORMALS {NORMA{L}S*}

12 Respite from extremely large levy on retirement (3-2) LET-UP {LargE}{PUT<=}

13 Left overwhelmed by noontime, sozzled and immobile (9) NONMOTILE {NONMOTI{L}E*}

14 Vehicle transported escort to room (5,7) MOTOR SCOOTER*

18 Dumbstruck by leaders admitting worst of blunders (4,3,5) LOST FOR WORDS {LO{WORST+OF}*RDS}

21 Propose with true love, perhaps, to captivate maiden at last (9) VOLUNTEER {TRUE+LOVE}* over {m...eN}

23 Tidy hotel in Welsh town (5) NEATH {NEAT}{H}

24 An ultra going berserk as usual (7) NATURAL*

25 Turned around to welcome European having a permanent academic post (7) TENURED {T{E}NURED*}

26 Republicans weren't accepting result (6) ANSWER [T]

27 Swerve around, taking extreme turns in sport of motorcycle racing (8) SPEEDWAY {S{DEEP<=}WAY}

DOWN

1   Refined bachelor overwhelmed by uncontrolled lust on ecstasy (6) SUBTLE {SU{B}TL*}{E}

2   Unusualness of Republican president abandoning agreement (6) RARITY {R}{pARITY}

3   Secure hoodies essentially for old fellow, giving protection from breeze (9) WINDPROOF {WIN}{hooDies}{PRO}{O}{F}

4   Rely on loony nut at sea? No way! (3,2,4,5) NOT ON YOUR NELLY*

6   Dog finds one round trinket (5) CURIO {CUR}{1}{O}

7   Spies confined by eastern comrade become extremely thin (8) EMACIATE {E}{MA{CIA}TE}

8   Problem about kinetic energy to test technique of using small arms (8) MUSKETRY {SUM<=}{KE}{TRY}

9   Where newspaper might be found close to home (2,4,8) ON ONES DOORSTEP [DD]

15 Men jump to conduct popular ceremony (9) ORDINANCE {OR}{D{IN}ANCE}

16 Adore trendy retreat in South American country (8) SLOVENIA {S{LOVE}{IN<=}A}

17 Separates as one criticises without love (8) ISOLATES {1}{S{O}LATES}

19 Hit back and fight, showing spirit (6) MARROW {RAM<=}{ROW}

20 Careless fling after drinking rum (6) SHODDY {SH{ODD}Y}

22 Daring new passion - going topless (5) NERVE {N}{vERVE}

Reference List

Street = ST, Second = s, Model = T, Lake = L, Left = L, Hotel = H, European = E, Bachelor = B, Ecstasy = E, Republican = R, President = P, Old = O, Fellow = F, Eastern = E, Men = OR, Popular = IN, New = N

No 14075, Friday 19 Jan 2024, Dr. X

RULES FOR POSTING COMMENTS ON FRIDAYS ONLY

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PLEASE NOTE, SOLUTIONS WITHOUT ATTEMPTING THE ANNOTATIONS WILL BE DELETED

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

ACROSS

1   Threw out fool over obscenity in retreat (3,3,2) GOT RID OF {GO{DIRT<=}OF}

5   Boat containing each aquatic mammal (3,3) SEA COW {S{EA}COW}

10 Simpleton taking small whip for wild horse (7) MUSTANG {MU{S}{TAN}G}

11 Withdraws from California, crushed by payments (7) RECANTS {RE{CA}NTS}

12 Dance in Sunburn Goa endlessly (5) TANGO {TAN}{GOa}

13 New nurse putting away covers, tidying up (9) NEATENING {N}{EAT{EN}ING}

14 Poet lay in compound, inhaling dope eagerly (12) PASSIONATELY {POET+LAY+IN}* over {ASS}

18 Sick lad fainted - he's critical! (4-3-5) LIFE-AND-DEATH {LAD+FAINTED+HE}*

21 What electrician might do to hide? (2,2,5) GO TO EARTH [DD]

23 Cries of alarm after river stinks (5) REEKS {EEKS}<=>{R}

24 Bishop is man conducting appropriate religious ceremony (7) BAPTISM {B}{APT}{IS}{M} Semi&lit

25 Dropping off a container filled with money (7) ABATING {A}{BA{TIN}G}

26 Kiss in corner, removing top - that's too much (6) EXCESS {rE{X}CESS}

27 Sceptics start to analyse robbery in back street (8) ATHEISTS {An...e}{T{HEIST}S<=}

DOWN

1   Reproductive cell is round, having covering of epiblast (6) GAMETE {GAM{Ep...sT}E}

2   Tea is fantastic, containing new infusion of herbs (6) TISANE {TEA+IS}* over {N}

3   What a Roman is concealing about female lover (9) INAMORATA [T<=]

4   Men getting dirt about crooked director in case revealing Mafia's activities (9,5) ORGANISED CRIME {OR}{G{D+IN+CASE}*RIME}

6   Host starts to enthral massive crowd expecting entertainment (5) EMCEE Acrostic 

7   Deliberate deception, rule broken by team (8) CONSIDER {CON}{SIDE}{R}

8   Smart alecs use wigs perhaps to retain a little youthfulness (4,4) WISE GUYS {USE+WIGS}* over {Yo...s}

9   Floating bank rate rose, he's upset (5,4,5) BREAK ONES HEART*

15 Argue heatedly to amend abominable act on essence of citizenship (9) ALTERCATE {ALTER}{ACT*}{c...zEn...p}

16 Exotic belle hugging one soldier is desirable (8) ELIGIBLE {EL{1|}{GI}BLE*}

17 Chief in workplace ignoring point - it's not relevant to the current discussion (3-5) OFF-TOPIC {OFF{TOP}ICe}

19 Brilliance shown by one in class (6) GENIUS {GEN{1}US}

20 Members of Native American people thus returned to welcome oracle (6) OSAGES {O{SAGE}S<=}

22 Rewrites in most ideal retreat (5) EDITS [T<=]

Reference List

Each = EA, Small = S, New = N, Nurse = EN, Riverv = R, Bishop = B, Kiss = X, Street = ST, Men = OR, Director = D, Rule = R