No 14752, Friday 27 Mar 2026, Arden

Rangoli by Gowri

RULES FOR POSTING COMMENTS FOR FRIDAY ONLY

All those who are not regular commenters but who are rookie commenters or silent followers of the blog are requested to post answers with annotations in the comments section. In your own interest please avoid looking up the answers from the interactive version. Don't hesitate to post your annotations, in case you make a mistake in the annotation someone will correct it with the right annotation.

PLEASE NOTE, SOLUTIONS WITHOUT ATTEMPTING THE ANNOTATIONS WILL BE DELETED

Each commenter is requested to post only 5 answers thereby giving others also a chance to participate. Please provide all your answers in one comment.

Regular solvers/Veterans can post 1 answer each, but after 11 AM only.

ACROSS

9   Sharpen pen, show uprightness (7)

10 Simple Bridge convention- yet confusing for a follower (7)

11 A month before Masters, perhaps (7)

12 Choice before a politician on eloquence (7)

13 Old offensive- in the middle missing a skin eruption (9)

15 Finally, recommending for you- the usual thin porridge (5)

16 Spooner's broken sound- refuse to go in there (7)

19 Paints South African golfer's name inside (7)

20 Set boundaries on a quiet hoard of cash (5)

21 Gorgeous! Sun in India shining, but not at home (9)

25 US president accepts second time success (7)

26 A horse with fat flanks always trails behind (7)

28 Old-fashioned uniform- long for a solo dance (3,4)

29 Tesla to block representation by law (7)

DOWN

1   Expressed admiration for resistance (6)

2   Mystery of the war time code (6)

3   Terror outfit has even airships (4)

4   Layer after layer peeled by a primate (3-3)

5   Restriction on time for a title (8)

6   Also caring about an instrument (3,7)

7   Intend to take over Sony- it's getting all the attention (8)

8   About-turns and salvages (8)

14 Vociferous supporter expressing doubt over he and Trump running (3-7)

16 Counter toys with computers (8)

17 Spookiest foreign actress I got involved (8)

18 The counsel finally stopped hearing somehow and shouted "hooker!" (8)

22 Survival is easy with packed bag (6)

23 He was badly sun burnt in Greece once (6)

24 Contraption tagged wrongly (6)

27 Stick around a US island territory (4)

No 14751, Thursday 26 Mar 2026, Arden

Artwork by Prasanna

Solution to 16D has been deliberately left unsolved and is to be answered 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   Port deck is exposed in general (6) RECIFE {R{dECk}IFE}

4   Can start with current location - pitch tents here (8) CAMPSITE {Can}{AMP}{SITE}

9   Sleep disorder? Break open and get into a self-help group (6) APNOEA {OPEN}* in {AA}

10 Laxative leaves Peter in a dizzy (8) APERIENT*

12 Hector at Hector the divine ruler (8) THEOCRAT*

13 South African wants a revolution (6) TSWANA*

15 Amusing to hear them - millions for charity, a prop is placed inside (12) MALAPROPISMS {M}{AL{A}{PROP}{IS}MS}

18 I need coastal police for suspension of hostilities (2-10)  DE-ESCALATION*

21 Bring the wagon back - that is tough (6) YARDIE {DRAY<=}{IE}

22 Fishermen had enormous catch of fish (8) MENHADEN [T]

24 Go pack a banian - it's a poor imitation (8) TRAVESTY {TR{A}{VEST}Y}

25 Review arts - takes a second for the tissue that forms the structure of an organ (6) STROMA {A{MO}RTS}<=

26 Memorial in place - not a phase (8) CENOTAPH [T]

27 Second copy - no work for the harvester (6) SCYTHE {S}{CopY}{THE}

DOWN

1   Live, let Marie go crazy (4-4) REAL-TIME*

2   Becomes hard when half the opposition party's on short leash, perhaps (8) CONGEALS {CONGress}{LEASh*}

3   Macron perhaps makes a Parisian, say, to keep quiet (6,9) FRENCH PRESIDENT {FRENCH RESIDENT} over {P}

5   Guarding a sherpa's place while climbing mountains (4) ALPS [T<=]

6    Part of the nervous system providing caring support to a soldier (15) PARASYMPATHETIC {SYMPATHETIC}<=>{PARA}

7   Melt ice cap to help you throw up (6) IPECAC*

8   Catch associate's brief rise (6) ENTRAP PARTNEr<=

11 Ring us - intend to drink and make merry (7) CAROUSE {CAR{O}{US}E}

14 Keep in deficit - a delay accepted (7) CITADEL [T]

16 Spooner may object to the entertainer right at the very end (8) ?I?D?O?T ()

17 Somehow unite, protect political group and overwhelm (8) INUNDATE {INU{NDA}TE*}

19 Systematic changes, losing seat as if by magic (6) MYSTIC {SYsteMaTIC}*

20 Police raid, no rule (6) ORDAIN*

23 Tread softly - take enough precautions first of all (4) STEP Acrostic

Reference List

Million = M, Second = MO, Second = S, Quiet = P, Tend = CARE