The Hindu Crossword 8177 Solutions - by Vinod & Rajagopal

Across
1 Defer rate adjustments in unrestricted international commerce (4,5) FREE TRADE (ana. DEFER RATE)
5 Draw forth from a motif etched brightly (5) FETCH (Container => motiF ETCHed)
8 Motorable way, over time, becomes a passage for a horse-drawn vehicle, perhaps (4,4) CART ROAD (Motorable way=CAR ROAD, time=T=>Motorable way, over time=CAR(T)ROAD)
9 Consecrate a Rodin creation (6) ORDAIN (ana. A RODIN)
11 Look with anger at a European river (5) LOIRE (Look=LO, anger=IRE => LO+IRE)
12 Bad breath — for Henry it is so awful (9) HALITOSIS (ana. HAL(Henry IV)+IT+IS+SO)
13 Society in Arab state for submissive subordinates (3,3) YESMEN (Society=S, Arab state=YEMEN=>Society in Arab state=YE(S)MEN)
14 A stalwart is trying to show workmanship here (8) ARTISTRY (Container => stalwART IS TRYing)
16 Supply with water? I deserve to, holding the equipment (8) IRRIGATE (I=I, deserve to=RATE, equipment=RIG=>I deserve to, holding the equipment = IR(RIG)ATE
18 Male American feline in Arab capital (6) MUSCAT (Male=M, American=US, feline=CAT => M+US+CAT)
22 Deficit in an account about compulsory enlistment (9) OVERDRAFT (about=OVER, compulsory enlistment=DRAFT => OVER+DRAFT)
23 Dodge the first girl to accept notice (5) EVADE (first girl=EVE, notice=AD => EV(AD)E)
24 Popular attempt to take in a place where there are papers needing attention (2,4) IN TRAY (Popular=IN, attempt=TRY=>attempt to take in a=TR(A)Y )
25 Sour food ingredient — an almost dramatic new preparation (8) TAMARIND (ana. DRAMTAI(almost DRAMATIC)+N(new))
26 Bird's nest in a high place — unknown in a lake (5) EYRIE (unknown=Y,lake=ERIE=>unknown in a lake=E(Y)RIE)
27 Greek philosopher who was a realist worried about books (9) ARISTOTLE (realist worried=ana. REALIST=ARISTLE, books=OT(old testament)=>realist worried about books=ARIST(OT)LE)

Down
1 College staff caught in imperfect garb (7) FACULTY (caught=C, imperfect=FAULTY=>caught in imperfect = FA(C)ULTY)
2 Insects that grew as a I danced (7) EARWIGS (ana. GREW AS I. The 'a' in the clue looks like a typo)
3 Sporting event involving pairs, with two members moving as one (5,6,4) THREE LEGGED RACE (Direct)
4 Indian places father in pain (6) APACHE (father=PA, pain=ACHE=>father in pain = A(PA)CHE)
5 Military officer is a leading resident around French place (5,10) FIRST LIEUTENANT (leading=FIRST, resident=TENANT, French place=LIEU=>leading resident around French place = FIRST (LIEU)TENANT)
6 Poles in characteristic passage (7) TRANSIT (Poles=NS, characterestic=TRAIT=>Poles in characteristic = TRA(NS)IT)
7 Truthfulness sharpens extremes of tenacity (7) HONESTY (sharpens=HONES, extremes of tenacity=TY=>HONES+TY)
10 Special armour to conceal fear (5) ALARM (Container => SpeciAL ARMour)
15 Fodder gives rise to skin eruptions (5) STRAW (skin eruptions=WARTS=>gives rise to skin eruptions=reverse of WARTS)
16 Soiled one trained to worship (7) IDOLISe (ana. SOILED+I(one))
17 Go back in (2,5) RE ENTER (Direct)
19 Carriage for cleaning woman with appeal: nothing inside (7) CHARIOT (cleaning woman=CHAR,appeal=IT=>appeal: nothing inside=I(O)T => CHAR+IOT)
20 Let a red turn a lever (7) TREADLE (ana. LET A RED)
21 Artist's interpretation of grey layer clouds (6) STRATI (ana. ARTIST)