The Hindu Cryptic No 78, 18 Oct 2026, Incognito

Three answers per commenter till 4 PM (Annotations Compulsory)

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

ACROSS

8   Letter in Greek held by Mrs Michael Douglas (4) ZETA [DD]

9   Block at Smith's workplace (5) ANVIL [GK]

10 Experience absence of maiden on International Space Station (4) MISS {M}{ISS}

11 Small nuggets resulting in periods of low demand (6) SLUMPS {S}{LUMPS}

12 Logically argued about a descendant with editor (8) REASONED {RE}{A}{SON}{ED}

13 Calculates speed expected at first by ship in stormy seas (8) ASSESSES {Sp..d}Ex...d}{SS} in {SEAS}*

15 Increase CPU kit production (6) UPTICK*

17 Remove name from dead insect without direction and cut up in laboratory (7) DISSECT {D}{InSECT}* over {S}

19 Meat having no veins damaged (7) VENISON*

22 Modified wings from early design around end of August (6) ELYTRA {ELY(a...sT}RA*}

24 Pass Korea vet in distress (8)  OVERTAKE*

26 Musical instrument made by wrinkling clear tin (8) CLARINET*

28 Bird with Chinese spanner (6) WRENCH {WREN}{CH}

30 "Fish with a piece of earthworm" in Morse, for example (4) CODE {COD}{Ea...m}

31 Saint leaving sanatorium building for loved one (5) AMOUR {sanAtORiUM}*

32 Diseases found in Catskill sanatorium (4) ILLS [CD]

DOWN

1   Inform legendary archer (4) TELL [DD]

2   Husband with no upper limbs is not dangerous (8) HARMLESS {H}{ARMLESS}

3   Col.'s free tickets (6) PASSES [DD]

4   Severe disturbance on model mountain (7) EVEREST {SEVERE}*{T}

5   Excited perusal by sweetheart results in joy (8) PLEASURE {PERUSAL}* over {swEet}

6   Bring in wine after one month (6) IMPORT {PORT}<=>{1}{M}

7   Insular land in Tunis leased (4) ISLE [T]

14 Something used to make alcohol even now (5) STILL [DD]

16 Bird goes around large time machine (5) CLOCK {C{L}OCK}

18 Gadget from China was broken (8) CHAINSAW*

20 Brave new leader enters extraordinary riptide (8) INTREPID {I{New}TREPID*}

21 'F'-word used by aviators (7) FOXTROT [C&DD]

23 Following sailor, attain goal (6) TARGET {TAR}{GET}

25 Teddy and Fox in The Day of the Jackal (6) EDWARD [DD]

27 Conveniences in Waterloo station (4) LOOS [T]

29 Source of power in prison (4) CELL [DD]

Reference List

Maiden = M, Small = S, About = RE, Editor = ED, Ship = SS, Name = N, Dead = D, Chinese = CH, Husband = H, Model = T, Month = M, Large = L, Sailor = TAR

No 14926, Saturday 17 October 2026, Arden

Artwork by Prasanna

 ACROSS

1 Building cool shelter — it's in one's blood (11) CHOLESTEROL*
7 Swindle exposed a country (3) GYP {eGYPt}
9 Reportedly stops marriage announcement (5) BANNS {~BANS}
10 Movie about an animal and plant (9) CELANDINE {C{ELAND}INE}

11 Bemoaning a fish-eating catkin (9) LAMENTING {L{AMENT}ING}
12 Bitter about free electricity to start with (5) ACRID {RID}<=>{AC}
13 Secure houses for worker in American city (5,2) SANTA FE {S{ANT}AFE}
15 Carry a shortened pole (4) TOTE {TOTEm}
18 A visitor loses way — gets fever (4) AGUE {A}{GUEst}
20 Uncovered intelligent plan for a busybody (7) MARPLOT {sMARt}{PLOT}
23 Party around bar (5) REVEL<
24 Attack a cricket side and mock in a way (9) ONSLAUGHT {ON}{S{LAUGH}T}
26 Kept woman to figure about copper container (9) CONCUBINE {CON{CU}{BIN}E}
27 Praise openly with some coffee (5) LATTE {fLATTEr}
28 She will turn into a litigant (3) SUE [DD]
29 Use starched pants for historic holy wars (3,8) THE CRUSADES*

DOWN
1 Taxi schedule to pick up a follower of tradition (8) CABALIST {CAB}{A}{LIST}
2 Special mention takes time before it is spread to give relief (8) OINTMENT {MENTION*}{T}
3 City contracts let border guards go (5) ESSEN {lESSENs}
4 Do wear a hat, it's tangible (7) TACTILE T{ACT}ILE
5 Stoke the girl artfully (7) RELIGHT*
6 Learn about players invited into the old house (9) LANCASTER {LEARN*} around CAST

7 Complaint about sex — there's blood all over (6) GOITRE {GO{IT}RE}
8 Pretended to work without a fee — rejected (6) PSEUDO {OP}< around {DUES<}

14 Criminal dealt with guns, also drug (5,4) ANGEL DUST*
16 Disrupted sunshine in the garden (8) BLIGHTED {B{LIGHT}ED}
17 Way one speaks haltingly (8) STUTTERS {ST}{UTTERS}
19 Hard rubber, close to ankle bone it is inserted (7) EBONITE {anklE}{BON{IT}E}
20 Feel sad about carrying bundle of rubber (7) MASSEUR {RUE<}<=>{MASS}
21 Briefly cross over copper plant (6) CROCUS {CRO{CU}Ss}

22 Way to identify a location (6) AVENUE {A}{VENUE}
25 An old sailor brought up the map (5) ATLAS {A}{SALT<}

REFERENCE LIST

Electricity=AC (alternating current), Way=St (Street), Cricket Side=On, Copper=Cu, Time=T, Sex (appeal)=It, Work=Op.