No 14833, Tuesday 30 Jun 2026, Pixie Dust

Solution to 6D 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

7   Protagonist nicked addictive substance (6) HEROIN {HEROINe}

8   To begin with wonderful, obviously original display - warm, opulently rich Kashmiri-style carpentry (8) WOODWORK Acrostic

9   Bill breaking free of compulsive behaviours and expressions (8) DICTIONS adDICTIONS

10 Declares: "Pixie Dust dividing shell money!" (6) CLAIMS {CLA{I}MS}

11 Fictional miser losing love for a French bum (8) SCROUNGE SCRO(-o+un)UNGE

12 To a certain extent felt sensually repelled in snuggle (6) NESTLE [T<=]

13 The 'MACS' repeatedly played tournaments? (4,7) TEST MATCHES {THE+MACS}* Letter Bank

18 Fictional detective's biographer, as per reports questioned boy (6) WATSON (~what son)

20 Vision I quote in conversation (8) EYESIGHT {I}{(~cite)SIGHT}

22 Some misread her enchantment for Bond (6) ADHERE [T]

23 Can this masquerader redesign a crimson top? (8) IMPOSTOR {IMPOSTOR+CAN}*=A CRIMSON TOP [CA]

24 Authentic, clear garlic soup without traces of olives and parsley (8) SURGICAL {GARLIC+SoUp}*

25 Blue-collar worker from Colombo will binge every now and then (6) COOLIE {ColOmbO+wiLl+bIngE}

DOWN

1   Spooner says: "The rest and I talk behind their back entrance!" (7) BEWITCH (~we bitch to bewitch)

2   Open spot? Perhaps take a rain check! (8) POSTPONE*

3   Native of Banjarmasin, Borneo (6) INBORN [T]

4   Stuck-up Dominic in a clover, exposed and dangerous (8) VOLCANIC [T<=]

5   Hits outside net essentially and panics (6) SWEATS {SW{nEt}ATS}

6   Member cycling around strange black object (7) ?R?M?L? (Addendum - GRUMBLE {(+g)GLE(-g)} over {RUM}{B} - See comments)

8   Let Maria refuse! (5,8) WASTE MATERIAL {MARIA+LET}* [RA]

14 Drive nurse to Easthampton on vacation with Charlie Yen (8) TENDENCY {TEND}{Ea...oN}{C}{Y}

15 Release young girl endlessly overwhelmed by mounting racket (8) EMISSION {MISs} in {NOISE<=}

16 Honesty from John Grim (7) CANDOUR {CAN}{DOUR}

17 Deranged gossip about Oscar I see in texting (7) CHAOTIC {CHA{O}T}{I}{(~see)C}

19 Delivered butcher's toboggan (6) SLEIGH (~slay)

21 Imagine master having no right adopting canine (6) EXPECT EXPE(-r+c)CT

Reference List

Bill = AD, A in French = UN, Strange = RUM, Black = B, Charlie = C, Yen = Y, John = CAN, Oscar = O, Right = R, Canine = C

No 14832, Monday 29 Jun 2026, Pixie Dust

Solution to 3D 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   Perhaps the curt city folk (6) ETHNIC {THE*}{NICe} 

5   Drug seller is quick covering damage (8) PHARMACY {P{HARM}ACY}

9   Clueless Inspector General's tirade overwhelming new officer at first (8) IGNORANT {IG}{RANT} over {N}{Of...r}

10 Is this creator redesigning pantries? (6) PARENT {PARENT+IS}=PANTRIES [CA]

11 Surprisingly, strange associate quits subsequently in support (10) STRENGTHEN {STRaNGE}*{THEN}

12 Member cycling around a storm (4) GALE {(+g)GLE(-g)} over {A}

13 Like a stag, colony resident ogled - abandoning last trace of shame (8) ANTLERED {ANT}{LEeRED}

16 Hence the French people, heartless and glum (6) SOLEMN {SO}{LE}{MeN}

17 Florida completes uniformly chosen constructions (6) FRAMES {FloRidA+coMplEteS}

19 Most insensitive subset to bust (8) OBTUSEST*

21 Magnificent huskies smuggled in this manner (4) THUS [T]

22 Quarrelsome Finny ruled out (10) UNFRIENDLY*

25 Character without bit of loyalty and grace (6) FAVOUR FlAVOUR

26 In comparison, some vital errands partly withdrawn (8) RELATIVE [T<=]

27 Anxious playing drest repeatedly? (8) STRESSED DREST* [Letter Bank]

28 Come, rise, dance exhibiting revolutionary passion (6) DESIRE [T<=]

DOWN

2   Close tense contest! Missed the beginning (5) TIGHT {T}{fIGHT}

3   Discovered snoop uses net (5) N?O?E (Addendum - NOOSE {sNOOp}{uSEs} - See comments)

4   German supporting family blunder (7) CLANGER {GER}<=>{CLAN}

5   Spotted Penny at church with journalist (7) PATCHED {P}{AT}{CH}{ED}

6   A lecturer flags plants (7) ALPINES {A}{L}{PINES} 

7   Bloomers from post-graduate doctor and grey-haired saint (9) MARIGOLDS {MA}{RIG}{OLD}{S}

8   Wild dance around large infinite pole in Christian festival (9) CANDLEMAS {CAND{L}E*}{MASt}

14 Point of Mathematician or the astronomer (9) NORTHEAST [T]

15 Rock's tipping point, Mark switching places with Lira (9) LIMESTONE (-m+l)LI(-l+m)MESTONE

18 Son leaves carrying revolver finally and shoots (7) SQUIRTS {S}{QUI{r...eR{TS}

19 Advanced deer? (7) OFFERED {DEER}* [RA]

20 Delighted Henry quit and laughed in a high-pitched voice (7) TRILLED ThRILLED

23 Records Spooner's accents (5) NOTES (tones to notes}

24 Celebrate climbing bar (5) LEVER<=

Reference List

New = N, Associate = A, The in French = LE, Tense = T, Penny = P, Church = CH, Journalist = ED(Editor), Lecturer = L, Post-Graduate = MA< Saint = S, Large = L, Mark = M, Lira = L, Son = S, Henry = H