No 14489, Tuesday 20 Oct 2025, Dr. X

Solution to 20D 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 solve, if not solved by 1 PM.

ACROSS

1   Enter unlawfully in health resort, breaking lock (8) TRESPASS {TRE{SPA}SS}

5   Wife is extremely kinky after drinking hard liquor (6) WHISKY {W}{IS}{KinkY} over {H}

10 Alarm about one essentially spreading disease (7) MALARIA {MALAR{1}A*}{s..eAd..g} (Correction {ALARM}*{1}{spreAding})

11 Supreme powers of one politician backing character smuggling ecstasy (7) IMPERIA {1}{MP}{AIR<=} over {E}

12 Correct apparatus to preserve body parts (5) RECTA [T]

13 Most cheap witness backtracked, essentially lying in case (9) CHEESIEST {CH{SEE<=}{lyIng}EST}

14 /21 / 19 Possess confidential info about a group's misdeeds, like a gravedigger? (4,5,3,6,3,6) KNOW WHERE THE BODIES ARE BURIED [DD]

18 Form of high-speed transport by trains, a day trip perhaps (5,7) RAPID TRANSIT {TRAINS+A+D+TRIP}*

21 See 14

23 Punishment is severe, giving up cocaine for good (5) GRUEL (-c+g)GRUEL

24 Cover with a hard coating once perhaps, wanting zero corrosion (7) ENCRUST {oNCE*}{RUST}

25 Praising ad with lungi dance (7) LAUDING {AD+LUNGI}*

26 Foremost of tailors altering vests and boob tubes (2,4) TV SETS {Ta..oR}{VESTS*}

27 Pilot cuddling model in red, becoming intimate (8) FRIENDLY {F{IN+RED}*LY}

DOWN

1   Stopwatches, say, in rows outside entrance to mall (6) TIMERS {TI{Mall}ERS}

2   Wind is remarkably clean source of energy (6) ENLACE {CLEAN*}{En...y}

3   Concerned by red tape in work (9) PERTAINED*

4   Police documents of sly campaign organised to infiltrate gangs (6,8) SEARCH WARRANTS {ARCH}{WAR}{RAN} in {SETS}

6   Hotel certainly has power plugs (5) HYPES {H}{Y{P}ES}

7   Endless anxiety on reflection, securing enclosure for snakes (8) SERPENTS {STRESs<=} over {PEN}

8   Concoction of tea and rye is more frothy (8) YEASTIER {TEA+RYE+IS}*

9   University administrator's haphazard record reviewed after wrongdoing (4,10) VICE CHANCELLOR {CHANCE}{ROLL<=}<=>{VICE}

15 Overwhelmed by storm in Aug, resolved to get meteorological device (4,5) RAIN GAUGE {RA{IN+AUG}*GE}

16 Member in cabaret ordered seafood (8) CRABMEAT {CRAB{M}EAT*}

17 Floral spikes in rooms captivating princess (8) SPADICES {SPA{DI}CES}

19 See 14 Across

20 Troublesome chap supporting immature idea (6) ?L?G?Y (Addendum - PLAGUY {GUY}<=>{PLAn} - See comments)

22 Revel in English dinner jacket, turning to entertain lady (5) EXULT {E}{T{L}UX<=}

Reference List

Wife = W, Hard = H, Politician = MP, Ecstasy = E, Day = D, Cocaine = C, Good = G, Hotel = H, Power = P, Member = M, Princess = DI, English = E, Dinner jacket = TUX, Lady = L

No 14488, Monday 19 May 2025, Afterdark

Solution to 10A 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 solve, if not solved by 1 PM.

ACROSS

1   Tom's insurers pass over head office and make it all-inclusive (8) CATHOLIC {CAT}{HO}{LIC}

5   Before last month, retreat/resort was set apart (6) SPACED {DEC<=}<=>{SPA}

9   One in island, say a'int supplied preserve (8) MAINTAIN {MA{1}N}{AINT*}

10 Stop working on drain (6) ?E?I?E (Addendum - RETIRE {RE}{TIRE} - See comments)

12 One country provides refuge to gangster from another country (9) AUSTRALIA {AUSTR{AL}IA}

13 Intentions are hid easy, kept buried in (5) IDEAS [T]

14 Includes date in commercials (4) ADDS {A{D}DS}

16 Position of Titans crashed after running over ball (7) STATION {STATI{O}N*}

19 Earl almost gets chills regularly at committee (7) COUNCIL {COUNt}{ChIlLs}

21 Scoundrel found in bank (4) HEEL [DD}

24 Vendors in confusion miss doctor's stoves (5) OVENS VENdOrS*

25 Yes, Harry stayed across road the day before (9) YESTERDAY {YE}{STE{RD}AY*} 

27 Journo nailed it originally within (6) EDITOR [T]

28 Soldier crossing lines at Elektrostal borders to correspond (8) PARALLEL {PARA}{LL}{El...aL}

29 Worry about small lock (6) STRESS {S}{TRESS}

30 Backed a commie filled with poetry (8) REVERSED {RE{VERSE}D}

DOWN

1   Dotcom masking hidden punctuation marks (6) COMMAS [T]

2   Longing to get a new T-shirt (6) THIRST*

3   As per sources Oxford University's training English readers in remote (5) OUTER Acrostic

4   Commander-in-Chief in remote isle like unemotional persons (7) ICICLES {I{CIC}LES*}

6   State cited paper revision will be after page is removed (9) PREDICATE {CITED+pAPER}*

7   Critic takes time to cover current conditions (8) CRITERIA {CRIT}{ER{I}A}

8   Doctor gives drug and signs off for bandage (8) DRESSING {DR}{E}{SIGNS*}

11 Yes, in Germany, Romans on vacation get containers (4) JARS {JA}{Ro..nS}

15 Toss coin, sides will produce results (9) DECISIONS*

17 Commanding Officer in new store to get vehicles (8) SCOOTERS {S{CO}OTER}*{S} Last S from?

18 Better drink at Rio after ecstasy and some rum (8) SUPERIOR {SUP}{RIO}<=>{E} and {Rum}

20 Prepares amateurs (4) LAYS [DD]

21 Prisoner in army given time (7) HOSTAGE {HOST}{AGE}

22 Grown-ups laud profusely but test regularly (6) ADULTS {LAUD*}{TeSt}

23 City on vacation, clued without substance as ordered (6) CYCLED {CitY}{CLuED}

26 Camera set to cover wipe out (5) ERASE [T]

Reference List

Insurers = LIC, Gangster = AL(Capone), Date = D, Soldier = PARA, Road = RD, Line = L, Small = S, Page = P, Drug = EYes in German = JA, Ecstasy = E