No 14772, Monday 20 Apr 2026, Pixie Dust

Solution to 6D 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

7   Bill while cycling takes in extremely coquettish style of dancing (6) TECHNO {(-no)TE(+n)NO} over {Co...sH}

8   On and off friend's watching volatile jamboree (8) FESTIVAL {FriEndS+waTchIng+VolAtiLe}

9   Complacent auditor conceals part of a bloomer (8) PLACENTA [T]

10 Oral consent to rise (6) ASCENT (~assent)

11 Send journalist back with second reinforcement (8) DESPATCH {ED<=}{S}{PATCH}

12 Stupid and pointless without basic strategy (6) INSANE {IN{St...y}ANE}

13 A pet's craft requirement (7,4) MASKING TAPE {A+PET}* [RA]

18 Rebuffed, some shoot at opinionated Murphy (6) POTATO [T<=]

20 Climax surrounding essentially stunning party for the soon-to- be union member (3,5) HEN NIGHT {HE{stuNNing}IGHT}

22 Challenge accountant raising fee (6) ACCOST {CA<=}{COST}

23 Bananas ripen over and over again to get this pungent compound (8) PIPERINE* Letterbank

24 Watched one going crazy about poetry (8) OVERSEEN {O{VERSE}EN*}

25 Reddish-yellow stain covers corner (6) RUSSET {RUS{SE}T

DOWN

1   Firmly established like a frog? (4-3) WELL-SET [DD]

2   Legume croquettes, halibut in curried kimchi, pineapple enchiladas & avocado for starters (8) CHICKPEA Acrostic

3   Is this composition creating tensions? (6) SONNET [CA] {SONNET+IS}* = TENSIONS

4   Surprisingly it's easy to film Spain's top writer (8) ESSAYIST {ITS+EASY}* over {Sp..n}

5   Tailless sick cur exploited! Is it fair? (6) CIRCUS {SICk+CUR}*

6   Notice fly hovering around a nurse (7) ?A?N?N? 

8   Spooner's gurgling in the cooler is short- lived? (5,2,3,3) FLASH IN THE PAN (plash in the fan to flash in the pan)

14 Barking kitten or is it more complicated? (8) KNOTTIER* What's the role of 'is it'?

15 Every often Port Izmir toasted this yellow flower (8) PRIMROSE {PoRt+IzMiR+tOaStEd}

16 Depressed libertarian leader is expelled from congress (7) CONCAVE CONClAVE

17 Clap to a large extent with understanding (7) THUNDER [T]

19 In a foreign land, rook moves behind on a ship (6) ABOARD AB(-r)OA(+r)RD

21 New copy line for household linen (6) NAPERY {N}{APE}{RY}

Reference List

Journalist = ED, Second = S, Corner = SE(South East), Rook = R, New = N, Copy = APE, Line = RY(Railway)

The Hindu Cryptic on Sunday No 52, Sunday 19 Apr 2026, Incognito

Three answers per commenter till 4 PM (Annotations compulsory) 

Please submit all your answers in one comment.  

(COMMENTS ENTERED WITH LESS THAN THREE ANSWERS/ANNOTATIONS WILL BE DELETED WITHOUT NOTICE, UNLESS THE COMMENTER SPECIFIES THAT IT IS A COMPENSATION FOR A REPEAT)

Thanks for the response, here's the regular blog.

ACROSS

8   Military Engineer Services gets a bit of hessian to make net (4) MESH {MES}{He...n}

9   Traverse spot marker (5) CROSS [DD]

10 Old coin for Hazare (4) ANNA [DD]

11 State: "Love actress Patani" (6) ODISHA {O}{DISHA}

12 Proximity from snares set behind new entrance at last (8) NEARNESS {SNARES}*<=}{N}{e...cE}

13 Run away to marry, following six footer and beast (8) ANTELOPE {ELOPE}<=>{ANT}

15 Girl and European aristocrat disembark (3,3) GET OFF {G}{E}{TOFF}

17 Nurse is transferred for commencement of day (7) SUNRISE*

19 Surprise! Leading actor let off! (7) STARTLE {STAR}{LET*}

22 Australian river colour (6) AUBURN {AU}{BURN}

24 I ogle Sue excitedly and praise (8) EULOGISE*

26 Friend captures steed running around supporting column (8) PEDESTAL {P{STEED*}AL}

28 European having sex appeal is civil (6) POLITE {POL{IT}E}

30 Sounds from rooms over stables (4) MEWS [DD]

31 Language used in Barbados cantonment (5) OSCAN [T]

32 Kind of bag little one gets at end of passage (4) TOTE {TOT}{p...gE}

DOWN

1   He had consumed a top (4) HEAD {HE{A}D}

2   Wrongly crushes a hunter (8) CHASSEUR*

3   Oscar and Charlie returned tax on old size of paper (6) OCTAVO {O}{C}{VAT<=}{O}

4   Moment before starting slipping of satellite beneath horizon (7) MOONSET {MO}{ONSET}

5   Spanish vehicle brought item of French cuisine (8) ESCARGOT {ES}{CAR}{GOT}

6   Disney accepts Greek letter and edible item (6) WALNUT {WAL{NU}T}

7   Finishes goals (4) ENDS [DD]

14 Pleasant Island urn broken! Contains gold! (5) NAURU {N{AU}RU*}

16 Flies modified document holders (5) FILES*

18 British permit prohibition for Americans (8) SANCTION [DD]

20 Control extraordinary urge by concocting tale (8) REGULATE {URGE*}{TALE*}

21 Poison made from a bit of hair under edge of dress (7) HEMLOCK {LOCK}<=>{HEM}

23 After Brig. leaves, aubergines spoilt resulting in discomfort (6) UNEASE AUbErgiNES*

25 Wolfish student is at university... next to coniferous tree (6) LUPINE {L}{U}{PINE}

27 Fencing equipment found in sheep entrails rejected (4) EPEE [T<=]

29 Bird with love for Yugoslav leader (4) TITO {TIT}{O}

Reference List

New = N, Girl = G, European = E, Australian = AU, Sex appeal = IT, Oscar = O, Charlie = C, Old = O, Moment = MO< Spanish = ES, Greek letter = NU, Student = L, University = U