No 14258, Tuesday 20 Aug 2024, Dr. X

Solution to 22D 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   Excellent not to urinate as much after drinking beer finally (8) PEERLESS {PEE LESS} over {beeR}

5   Having emptied cask, drunkards returned for supplies (6) STOCKS {CasK} in {SOTS<=}

10 Bit of rash in spot giving itch (7) PRICKLE {P{Rash}ICKLE}

11 Wants a fancy manicure of the digits (7) NUMERIC MaNICURE*

12 Really craving to obtain brand of spandex (5) LYCRA [T]

13 Want to cuddle - remove your clothes and suit (9) PINSTRIPE {PIN{STRIP}E}

14 Try drinking a peg of rum as variation in routine (6,2,4) CHANGE OF PACE {CHAN{A+PEG+OF}*CE}

18 Try a futile remedy initially to treat medical condition (5,7) HEART FAILURE {HEAR}{A+FUTILE+Re...y}*

21 Aim to entertain one boy with good liturgical chant (9) PLAINSONG {PLA{1}N}{SON}{G}

23 Pawn captured by a genius quickly (5) APACE {A}{P}{ACE}

24 Slight loss of fat finally with popular hormone (7) INSULIN {INSULt}{IN}

25 Rescue from trouble in time (4,3) BAIL OUT {B{AIL}OUT}

26 Starting to get drizzly and unclear (6) GRAINY {Get}{RAINY}

27 Blue-eyed boy receives hundred on viva relating to the chest (8) PECTORAL {PE{C}T}{ORAL}

DOWN

1   Pimple is whitish, having endless discharge (6) PAPULE {PA{PUs}LE}

2   Show in Venice, fantastic (6) EVINCE*

3   Doctor hikes a lot eagerly (4,1,4) LIKE A SHOT*

4   Swirl outside shelter, tripping on a drug, engaging in sex promiscuously (8,6) SLEEPING AROUND  {S{LEE}PIN}{ON+A+DRUG}*

6   Entice maiden in favourite retro bar (5) TEMPT {P{M}ET<=}{T}

7   Cold day in Agra - perhaps wear this? (8) CARDIGAN {C+D+IN+AGRA}* Semi&lit

8   Warns about keeping ecstasy and cocaine concealed (8) SECRETED {DETERS<=} over {E}{C}

9   Enigmatic nationalist in assembly, suitable to win polls essentially (14) UNINTELLIGIBLE {UNI{N}T}{EL{poLls}IGIBLE}

15 Purist's advice to shopper (9) FORMALIST {FORM A LIST}

16 Huge group hosting dance party at launch (8) WHOPPING {W{HOP}{Pa..y}ING}

17 Country's revolutionary plan to install atomic plants (8) MALAYSIA {AIM<=} over {A}{LAYS}

19 Spirit with nutty flavour, not strong (6) VALOUR fLAVOUR*

20 Merry fellow, not very chaste (6) FESTAL  {F}{vESTAL}

22 New lecturer wearing that synthetic fabric (5) N?L?N (Addendum - NYLON {N}{Y{L}ON} - See comments)

Reference List

Good = G, Pawn = P, Hundred = C, Shelter = LEE< Maiden = M, Bar = T, Cold = C, Day = D, Ecstacy = E, Cocaine = C, Nationalist = N, Atomic = A, Strong = F, Fellow = F, Very = V, New = N, Lecturer = L

No 14257, Monday 19 Aug 2024, Afterdark

Rangoli by Gowri

Solution to 15D 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   Bugged Patrick to return to training by 1st of December (6) TAPPED {PAT<=}{PE}{De...r}

5   Watches Stokes' attack in the absence of skipper getting first sixer (6) SIGHTS (-f+s)SIGHTS

10 With director missing, there is difficulty in getting equipment (7) HARNESS HARdNESS

11 Copy is verbatim, IT at embarrassing bind (7) IMITATE [T]

12 Strange, former lover's book seen at Indian college (6) EXOTIC {EX}{OT}{I}{C}

15 Went around left gate at the end and took off (6) PEELED {PEE{L}{gatE}D}

16 Transports berries after auditor takes engineer's place (7) CARRIES (-be+ca)CARRIES

17 Poses, is it? Fantastic (4) SITS Incorrect fodder

18 Work unit has returned, yard is overcast (4) GREY {ERG<=}{Y}

19 Examining the hollow wound (7) TESTING {ThE}{STING}

20 Basically silly joke was narrated (4) SPUN {S}{PUN}

22 Singer arrived early at English pub (4) DIVE {DIVa}{E}

25 First off, appeared confused and constructed something in haste (7) PAPERED aPPEARED*

27 Games played after 1 seen in pictures (6) IMAGES {GAMES}*<=>{1}

28 Older Bengali rector is over the moon (6) SENIOR {SEN}{R} over {IO}

31 Investigate earl at 10 AM in East End (7) EXAMINE {E}{X}{AM}{IN}{E} What's the role of End?

32 A picture on the magazine at institute's almost new (7) IMAGINE {{MAG}<=>{I} and {NEw} A is superfluous

33 Pointer is unnecessary after leaving ship (6) NEEDLE NEEDLEss

34 Steven lying, concealing calmly (6) EVENLY [T]

DOWN

2   In despair, porters withheld in LaGuardia, say (7) AIRPORT [T]

3   Flowing river's name brought up (6) POETIC {PO}{CITE<=}

4   Powder and polish (4) DUST [DD]

5   Without advance, transported Swami's float (4) SWIM SWaMI*

6   Manages government's user interface design elements superbly from the beginning (6) GUIDES Acrostic

7   Preview shown in mobile van (7) TRAILER [DD]

8   Lady seen with stranger, primarily sleeping on bed linens (6) SHEETS {SHE}{ET}Sl...g}

9   Toxic lady cavorting with Edward (6) DEADLY {LADY+ED}*

13 Say, shooters from Cameroon face time at Sweden (7) CAMERAS {CAM}{ERA}{S}

14 Relative becomes different after following wingers from Bhubaneswar (7) BROTHER {OTHER}<=>{Bh...eR}

15 Small change for the poor without house (7) PE?N?ES (Addendum PENNIES PENNIlESs - See comments) 

20 Lady maintains home on Sabbath and stands out (6) SHINES {SH{IN}E}{S}

21 Ignorant peacekeepers at England overlook a battle (7) UNAWARE {UN}{E} over {A}{WAR}

23 Sign of politician forged after cop left (7) INITIAL poLITIcIAN*

24 England's army chief and sailors embarked at either end to be received (6) EARNED {E}{Army}{RN}{Em...eD}

25 Op-ed rewritten after receiving religious instruction in Times (6) PERIOD {OP+ED}* over {RI}

26 Daughter's refund uninitiated leads to argument (6) DEBATE {D}{rEBATE}

29 Over time, charge for party (4) FETE {FE{T}E}

30 Mass arrest, leader from east escapes (4) SIZE SeIZE

Reference List

Training = PE, Director = D, Book = OT(Old testament), Went = PEED, Left = L, Yard = Y, English = E, Rector = R, Earl = E, Institute = I, Ship = SS, Advance = A, Stranger = ET(Extra terrestrial), Sweden = S, House = LS(Lok Sabha), Home = IN, Sabbath = S, Sailors = RN(Royal Navy), Religious Instruction = RI, Daughter = D, Time = T