No 14158, Thursday 25 Apr 2024, Dr. X

Solution to 12A 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   Excessive consumption of alcohol in big dinner parties by star (5,8) BINGE DRINKING {BIG+DINNER}*{KING}

8   Martial arts instructor's endless wisdom (5) SENSE SENSEi

9   Macho male is perhaps taking special pleasure in being dominated (9) MASOCHISM {MACHO+M+IS} over {S}

11 Growing trend of crash dieting is primarily ridiculous (6,4) RISING TIDE* {DIETING+IS+Ri...s}*

12 Stand by one breaking down on retirement (4) ?A?S (Addendum - DAIS {SA{1}D<=}- See comments))

14 New jockey crushed by mistake, getting more jittery (7) NERVIER {N}{ER{VIE}R}

16 Confront prince - chucked cup of tea angrily (7) OUTFACE {CUp+OF+TEA}*

17 Clear the dirty boxes connected electrically to the ground (7) EARTHED [T]

19 Enliven proceedings at premiere with crystal meth in drink (5,2) SPICE UP {S{Pr...s}{ICE}UP}

21 Horseman terrified to tackle rebellious Italian mount (4) ETNA [T<=]

22 Not lucrative to maintain university for bird-rearing (10) AVICULTURE {LUCRATIVE}* over {U}

25 Male star playing lead in Chinatown as a clever dick (5,4) SMART ALEC {MALE+STAR}*{Ch...n}

26 Good deception, snaring Dravid at first slip (5) GLIDE {G}{LI{Dr...d}E}

27 Reason to visit trichologist leads to quibbling (4-9) HAIR-SPLITTING [DD]

DOWN

2   Device improving air quality inside - infection is eradicated (7) IONISER [T]

3   Endlessly kiss lady in darkness? OK! (5,5) GREEN LIGHT {GREEt}{N{L}IGHT}

4   Resign from department over issue (5) DEMIT {D}{EMIT}

5   Cunning shown by unpleasant Aussies finally for victory (9) INSIDIOUS IN(+s-v)SIDIOUS

6   High boot (4) KICK [DD]

7   One enthralled by knocking back drink at a Japanese city (7) NIIGATA {GI{1}N<=}{AT}{A}

8   Eccentricity of one on dope, overwhelmed by tension (11) STRANGENESS {STR{AN}{GEN}ESS}

10 Outstanding work by team with precise moves (11) MASTERPIECE {TEAM+PRECISE}*

13 Error found in minute - it will brighten things up! (5,5) STRIP LIGHT {S{TRIP}LIGHT}

15 Rebuild deep love, making up after a little rift (9) REDEVELOP {DEEP+LOVE}<=>{Rift}

18 Rush with gun, start to attack settlement in Kiribati (7) RUNGATA {RUN}{GAT}{At...k}

20 Escape in mounting commotion, stealing large carbuncle at centre (7) ELUSION {NOISE<=} over {L}{c..bUn..e}

23 Cause of communicable, clinical infections primarily (5) COCCI acrostic &lit

24 Wanting a set of steps for song and dance (4) STIR STaIR

Reference List

Special = S, New = N, Prince = P, University = U, Good = G, Lady = L, Department = D, Victory = V, Dope = GEN, Gun = GAT, Large = L

No 14157, Wednesday 24 Apr 2024, 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 answer, if not solved by 1 PM.

ACROSS

1   Ordeal after girl in bash turned most intoxicated (8) TIGHTEST {TEST}<=>{H{G}IT<=}

5   Powder in back of closet - salt containing cocaine (6) TALCUM {c...eT}{AL{C}UM}

10 & 13 What DJs want everyone to do? Comply with what they want (5,2,5,4) DANCE TO THEIR TUNE [C&DD]

11 Small sample of antivenom in a lab (7) NOMINAL [T]

12 Son ignored insult in match (5) LIGHT sLIGHT

13 See 10

14 Cash, say, spent in altering film (6,6) TENNIS PLAYER {SPENT+IN}*{LAYER}

18 Retd bachelor about to marry someone who is much younger (3,3,6) ROB THE CRADLE*

21 Musical troupe is smooth, entertaining group with bit of blues (5,4) S?I?G ?A?D (Addendum - SWING BAND {S{WING}{Bl..s}AND} - See comments)

23 Abandon movement to secure independence (5) WAIVE {WA{I}VE}

24 A rebellious chap consuming ecstasy on island getting cold and pale (7) ANAEMIC {A}{M{E}AN<=}{I}{C}

25 Talk foolishly with woman after starting to become drunk (7) BLITHER {HER}<=>{Be...e}{LIT}

26 Crushed oilseed yielding ordinary oil (6) DIESEL oILSEED

27 Assess racehorse gambolling round shed (8) RESEARCH RACEHoRSE*

DOWN

1   Slightly drunk in bar, lazily cuddling date (6) TIDDLY {T}{ID{D}LY}

2   Ornamental tree in good tattoo on head (6) GINKGO {G}{INK}{GO}

3   Hitter went berserk, scoring runs in last over of IPL match (9) TWENTIETH {HITTEr+WENT}*

4   Reasonable likelihood of force catching person (8,6) SPORTING CHANCE*

6   American male picking up joint with hesitation in Indian city (5) AJMER {A}{J}{M}{ER}

7   Perhaps as bouncy as cylindrical channel markers (3,5) CAN BUOYS*

8   Happy to conserve extremely unusual British tree (8) MULBERRY {M{Un...aL}{B}ERRY}

9   Bend a rule craftily to secure position as expected (14) UNDERSTANDABLE {BEND+A+RULE}* over {STAND}

15 Faultless liberal beginning to irritate the wily rogue (4-5) LILY-WHITE {L}{Ir...e}{THE+WILY}*

16 Supporter on top of stage runs wearing blue armband (8) BRASSARD {BRA}{St..e}{SA{R}D}

17 Decline to tackle detectives on reflection and surrender (8) ABDICATE {AB{DIC}<= ATE}

19 Nobody backs film star releasing flops essentially (6) CIPHER {PIC<=}{HERo}

20 Make out with hot model over area around fireplace (6) HEARTH {HEAR} with {H}{T}<=

22 Easy putt in golf that is over millimetres (5) GIMME {G}{I{MM}E}

Reference List

Girl = G, Cocaine = C, Son = S, Independence = I, Ecstacy = E, Island = I, Cold = C, Ordinary = O, Bar = T, Date = D, Good = G, Runs = R, American = A, Male = M, Joint = J, British = B, Liberal = L, Supporter = BRA, Hot = H, Model = T, Golf = G