The Hindu Cryptic on Sunday No 75, Sunday 27 Sep 2026, Afterdark

Three answers per commenter till 4 PM (Annotations Compulsory)

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ACROSS

9   How, in the absence of leader, NGO takes an extreme legal action that harms itself (3,4)

10 In any environs a cat can make-up (7)

11 Girl has argument with boy and a middle-age planter, perhaps (7)

12 Deep rumble across lake, banks of Tahoe getting empty (7)

13 Painting outside tunnel features puma essentially in a place full of trees and plants (9)

15 Thanks to, say, Aishwarya moving to the front to present an accompaniment (5)

16 About flowers' emergence (7)

19 California pub has stranger in show (7)

20 Earthenware for sprite during duty frequently (5)

21 Two small sips frequently after bar to return to most effective range (5,4)

25 At college in university campus, six learners found discourteous (7)

26 Scarf used as silencer (7)

28 Frequently orders meals last and distributes again (7)

29 Certain to carry some weight on bare head (7)

DOWN

1   Record on American soldier is placed on a gallery (6)

2   Specialist doctor owns nothing at Bury (6)

3   Drove back carrying black explosive (4)

4   Fiery boxer facing heartless Goliath at Thailand (6)

5   Global pressure and half of them in crisis basically (8)

6   Manipulative woman with anger uses club on mammal (7,3)

7   Innkeeper is furious; deli's facade is missing here in the centre (8)

8   Classify sect at Puducherry outskirts for resettling (8)

14 In comparison, say sister’s landlady is heartless (10)

16 Say, a conservative recycles gold and uranium, hard without a shred of honesty (3,5)

17 Beam at the ends collapses castle (8)

18 Things that are dreamt by wife and husband; having a son, basically loved first (4,4)

22 Half of open university ultimately end with hatred (6)

23 At the core, pupils allege pauper has an accumulation (6)

24 Adding 50% of vegetable's crucial for power, say (6)

27 Celebration with daughter at capital (4)

No 14908, Saturday 26 Sep 2026, Dr. X

 ACROSS
1 Reflect on boyfriend chasing married university lecturer (4,4) MULL OVER {LOVER}<=>{M}{U}{L}
5 Make a date with model at souk (3,3) ASK OUT*
10 Small case in retreat filled with Ecstasy and drugs (5) DOPES {S POD}< around E
11 Body of clergy members finished discourse (9) PASTORATE {PAST}{ORATE}
12 Spot around canal near institute, very alluring (9) SEDUCTIVE {SE{DUCT}{I}{V}E}
13 Style of Greek architecture in department, old and largely magnificent (5) DORIC {D}{O}{RICh}

14 Paid for cast in commercial (6) ATONED {A{TONE}D}
15 Member feared vile slanderer (7) DEFAMER {M FEARED}*
18 Figures essentially checked by remarkably adroit financial examiner (7) AUDITOR {figUres} in {ADROIT*}
20 Mother captivated by chronicle about Tantric scriptures (6) AGAMAS {MA} in {SAGA<}
22 Greek muse in chamber at Olympia (5) ERATO [T]

24 Very gifted young man won Derby easily, enthralling onlookers at centre (3,6) BOY WONDER {WON DERBY}* around {onloOkers}
25 Drives a vintage sedan, primarily extraordinary (9) NAVIGATES {A VINTAGE Sedan}*
26 Garish cap worn by upper-class Republican (5) LURID {L{U}{R}ID}
27 Recognise South American musical instrument (6) SALUTE {SA}{LUTE}
28 Ignore uproar after head of company is confined (6-2) CLOSED-IN {LOSE}{DIN}<=>{Company}

DOWN
1 Grotesque dame having primarily ugly crown of snakes (6) MEDUSA {DAME}* around {Ugly}{Snakes} & Lit

2 Youth consuming a little pot on island with girlfriend is stoned (9) LAPIDATED {LA{Pot}{I}{DATE}D}
3 After reconsideration, start to check fraud by director nevertheless (2,6,7) ON SECOND THOUGHT ONSET around {CON}{D}{THOUGH}
4 English prince chasing maiden restrained and evacuated (7) EMPTIED {E}{P<=>M}{TIED}
6 Impending danger of floods! Cowers anxiously over embankment (5,2,8) SWORD OF DAMOCLES {FLOODS COWERS}* over DAM

7 Broadcasting soon - AI related films (2-3) ON-AIR [T]
8 See 17 (4,4)
9 Go up with first-class cast winning Oscar at centre (6) ASCEND {A}{S{osCar}END}
16 Strayed in despicable act after drinking a little rum (9) MEANDERED {MEAN}{DE{Rum}ED}
17 Give a foot massage perhaps to cause one to feel exquisite pleasure (Continued in 8 Down) (4,4,4,4) MAKE ONE'S TOES CURL [CD & D]
19 Reduction in tax saves close to one billion (6) REBATE {R{onE}{B}ATE}
20 Fool picking up extremely bonny Australian lady - it's unfathomable (7) ABYSSAL {A{BonnY}SS}{A}{L}
21 English poet in alcohol-free retreat (6) DRYDEN {DRY}{DEN}

23 Hammered nail over very heavy iron block (5) ANVIL {NAIL*} over V

REFERENCE LIST

Married=M, University=U, Lecturer=L, Small=S, Ecstasy=E, Institute=I, Very=V, Department=D, Old=O, Member=M, Upper-class=U, Republican=R, South American=SA, Island=I, Director=D, English=E, Prince=P, Maiden=M, First-Class=A, Billion=B, Australian=A, Lady=L.