No 14569, Thursday 21 Aug 2025, Dr. X

Solution to 17D 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   Retreat from angry bull in herd (8) PULLBACK {P{BULL*}ACK}

5   Line to enter most stylish joint (6) SPLIFF {SP{L}IFFy}

10 Drinking a little beer, I croon, performing with vigour (3,4) CON BRIO {Beer+I+CROON}*

11 Pay for former head touring Italy (7) EXPIATE {EX}{P{I}ATE}

12 See 9 Down

13 Delightful finale captivates listener (9) ENDEARING {END{EAR}ING}

14 Otherwise gentle, fools after consuming ecstasy act without restraint (3,7,2) LET ONESELF GO {GENTLE+FOOLS}* over {E}

18 Discovered why felon initially terrified every unnoticed observer (3,2,3,4) FLY ON THE WALL {WHY+FELON+Te...d}*{ALL}

21 Attractive gentleman beginning to arouse in sack, turning on English lady in retreat (9) DESIRABLE {SIR}{Ar...e} in {BED<=} on{E}{L}<=

23 Calling husband in French city (5) NICHE {NIC{H}E}

24 Lawyer in Hanoi harassed American (7) IDAHOAN {I{DA}HOAN*}

25 Stumble outside church, primarily straining muscle (7) TRICEPS {TRI{CE}P}{St...g}

26 Number is twelve, essentially divisible by two without a remainder (6) ELEVEN {twELve}{EVEN}

27 Director beginning to evaluate inmate's strange mental illness (8) DEMENTIA {D}{Ev...e}{INMATE*}

DOWN

1   Relish jam (6) PICKLE [DD]

2   Stuffing some tarpaulin in garage (6) LINING [T]

3   Leader of band enters to play with popular American conductor (9) BERNSTEIN {Band}{ENTERS*}{IN}

4   Too obscene, the ending of controversial novel is likely to cause offence (5,2,3,4) CLOSE TO THE BONE {TOO+OBSCENE+THE+c...aL}*

6   Father touring posh Asian province (5) PAPUA {PAP{U}A}

7   Ninja loses head, turns unsettled very soon (2,1,5) IN A JIFFY {nINJA}*{IFFY}

8   Dish containing fish with bit of garlic is satisfying (4-4) FEEL-GOOD {F{EEL}{Ga...c}OOD}

9 & 12 What passengers on trains might do to look for hidden meaning (4,7,3,5) READ BETWEEN THE LINES [C&DD]

15 Rose with vigour to have good time in Spain (9) EGLANTINE {E{G}LAN}{T}{IN}{E}

16 Leap to save runs after bad cricket shot (3,5) OFF DRIVE {D{R}IVE}<=>{OFF}

17 Certainly owned extremely expensive frames and visor (8) ?Y?S?A?E (Addendum - EYESHADE {YES}{HAD} in {Ex...vE} - See comments)

19 Acknowledge excellent point about early sign of cancer (6) ACCEPT {A{Ca...r}CE}{PT}

20 Russia is reportedly capturing back historical region (6) PERSIA [T<=]

22 Improve after beginning to row in European river (5) RHONE {HONE}<=>{Row}

Reference List

Line = L, Former = EX, Italy = I, Ecstasy = E, English = E, Lady = L, Husband = H, Lawyer = DA, Church = CE, Director = D, Popular = IN, Posh = U, Good = G, Time = T, Spain = E, Runs = R, Point = PT

No 14568, Wednesday 20 Aug 2025, Dr. X

Solution to 21A 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 & 23 What Imelda Marcos was constantly looking to buy is quite a different matter (7,4,2,5) ANOTHER PAIR OF SHOES [C&DD]

8   Tart, one containing large mushroom caps (5) PILEI {PI{L}E}{1}

9   Does away with leader of rebels involved in abominable sabotage (9) ABROGATES {AB{Re...s}OGATES*}

11 Withdrawal of statement by tense Republican, overwhelmed by backlash (10) RETRACTION {RE{T}{R}ACTION}

12 Friend eating starter of egg roll (4) PEAL {P{Egg}AL}

14 Entice models, getting hold of ultimately sleek fashion accessory (7) NECKTIE {NEC{s..eK}TIE*}

16 Sort this mess, discard old tops (1-6) T-SHIRTS {THIS*}{RoTS} (Correction {SoRT+THIS}* )

17 Performed with rebellious jerk enthralled by grass (7) RECITED {RE{TIC<=}ED}

19 Toothed dog at entrance leapt at teen (7) DENTATE {Dog}{AT+TEEN}*

21 Crook in hotel. excited after stealing money (4) H?M? (Addendum - HUMP {H}{U{M}P} - See comments)

22 Punishes son accepting dare in high spirits (10) FRISKINESS {FINES}{S} over {RISK}

25 Thai cop is beating nut (9) PISTACHIO*

26 British-American poet in a posh retreat (5) AUDEN {A}{U}{DEN}

27 Face financial ruin as extraordinary horse is stolen (4,4,5) LOSE ONES SHIRT*

DOWN

2   Nothing relating to ear or relating to tongue of African people (7) NILOTIC {NIL}{OTIC}

3   Tired after hosting function, one involving three groups (10) TRIPARTITE {TRI{PART}{1}TE}

4   Old American model outside club is perfect (5) EXACT {EX}{A}{T} over {C}

5   Alleged duper operated around harbour (9) PURPORTED {PUR{PORT}ED*}

6   His essentially deceitful move crushes Desdemona finally (4) IAGO {hIs}{GO} over {d...nA} &lit (Correction - {d..eIt..l}{GO} over {d...nA} Semi&lit}

7   Last longer than foremost of athletes in precarious western route (7) OUTWEAR {At...s} in {W+ROUTE}*

8   Ultimately, liaison with a hot stripper wrecked marriage (11) PARTNERSHIP {l...oN+A+H+STRIPPER}*

10 A large espresso around noon for shop assistant (11) SALESPERSON {A+L+ESPRESSO}*{N}

13 Give something to smoke outside hotel in Indian city (10) CHANDIGARH {C{HAND}IGAR}{H}

15 Slyly drop in when wife's away - it will provide a rush (9) ENDORPHIN {DROP+IN+wHEN}*

18 Regains consciousness in cot, smashed after drinking some rum (5,2) COMES TO {COT}* over {SOME*}

20 Editor beginning to annoy fellows backing socialist (7) AMENDER {An..y}{MEN}{RED<=}

23 See 1 Across

24 Kiss-cam at event catches couple (4) MATE [T]

Reference List

Large = L, Tense = T, Republican = R, Old = O, Hotel = H, Money = M, Son = S, Posh = U, American = A, Model = T, Club = C, Western = W, Hot = H, Noon = N, Wife = W