No 14846, Wednesday 15 Jul 2026, KrisKross

Solution to 17D 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   Suggest plan - "50% to quit for change of government" (6) PUTSCH {PUT}{SCHeme} 

4   Bar or joint mostly housing animals from the east (8) OBSTACLE {EL{CATS}BOw}<=}

10 Boss to lead with articles (3,6) TOP BANANA {TOP B}{AN}{AN}{A}

11 Goodbye to Russia's first language (5) TATAR {TATA}{Ru...a}

12 Thrill from fifteenth US expedition (7) ENTHUSE [T]

13 Rebuffed most of adamant boy's prayers (7) ORISONS {IROn<=}{SONS}

14 Voila! Cricket has turned around (5) CIRCA [T<=]

15 Spreadsheet not set up, somehow given a new form (8) RESHAPED {sPREADSHEet}*

18 Spooner's carried food for grandfather, say (8) FOREBEAR (~bore fare to forebear}

20 Force European to take over (5) BARGE {E}{GRAB}<=

23 Cuts sticks (7) CLEAVES [DD]

25 Caught in difficulty, ring for investigator (7) CORONER {COR{O}NER}

26 Guides leaderless groups (5) RINGS bRINGS

27 River trip enthrals old relative (3,6) RIO GRANDE {RI{O}{GRAN}DE}

28 Each must vault in ancient sacrifice (8) HECATOMB {EACH}*{TOMB}

29 Prohibits Spain's recurring problems (6) ESTOPS {ES}{SPOT<=}

DOWN

1   Cool head when tackling nice problem (8) PATIENCE {PAT{NICE*}E} Semi&lit

2   Bartender feeding drop of port to expert sampler (7) TAPSTER {TA{Port}STER}

3   Ordered catalogue set (9) COAGULATE*

5   Merry Corsican tourist on vacation kidnapped by barbarian - a slippery killer (3,11) BOA CONSTRICTOR {CORSICAN+To...sT}* in {BOOR}}

6   South African boat docked - test it regularly (5) TUTSI {TUb}{TeSt+It}

7   Conductor lost hat in program (7) CATHODE {C{HAT*}ODE}

8   Path of exit for one on ship (6) EGRESS {EG}{RE}{SS}

9   Obey corrupt food marketers pinching recipe (4,6,4) TAKE ORDERS FROM {FOOD+MARKETERS}* over {R}

16 Emir brags about component of perfume (9) AMBERGRIS*

17 Brave fellow like Van Gogh? (8) ?E?R?E?S (Addendum - FEARLESS {F}{EARLESS} - See comments) 

19 Marine in nice coat nicked rum (7)  OCEANIC {NICE+COAt}*

21 Meet heads of rebellious trade union at work (3,4) RUN INTO {Re...s+Tr..e+UNION}*

22 Burn my school bags (6) SCORCH {S{COR}CH}

24 Stop very sceptical question (5) VISIT {V}{IS IT}

Reference List

European = E, Old = O, Spain = ES, For one = EG, On = RE, Ship = SS, Recipe = R, Fellow = F, My = COR, School = SCH, Very = V

No 14845, Tuesday 14 Jul 2026, Incognito

Solution to 26A 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

8   Student consumed after time (4) LATE {L}{ATE}

9   Paste a list of paratroopers who jump together (5) STICK [DD]

10 Chopped a cross on centre of sledge (4) AXED {A}{X}{slEDge}

11 One who might make 8 on ice... (6) SKATER [CD]

12 Spread peat around pet one and get stamina to consume food? (8) APPETITE {AP{PET}{1}TE*}

13 Went with terse doc on tour (8) ESCORTED*

15 In Canberra, tabulating list of mistakes (6) ERRATA [T]

17 Fish with alien and special dogs (7) BASSETS {BASS}{ET}{S}

19 Badly cursed a second-hand automobile (4-3) USED CAR*

22 Small ass starting to ram person puffing on a cigarette (6) SMOKER{S}{MOKE}{Ram}

24 Rebellious boys side goes against orders (8) DISOBEYS* 

26 Salt stored in tree-top? (8) ?I?N?C?E (Addendum - PINNACLE {PIN{NACL}E} - See comments)

28 One prowling in Punalur, Kerala (6) LURKER [T]

30 After leaving tram, matadors return to get aerated water (4) SODA matADOrS<=

31 Prize from conflict in present times (5) AWARD {A{WAR}D}

32 Give out remittance wrongly after exporting nectar (4) EMIT rEMITtance

DOWN

1   Target saint (4) MARK [DD]

2   German elite force going around Greek city ruins (8) DESTROYS {DE}{S{TROY}S}

3   Along with extra sensory perception, Romeo has sex appeal and liveliness (6) ESPRIT {ESP}{R}{IT}

4   Women with headless reptiles? Sorcerors!(7) WIZARDS {W}{lIZARDS}

5   Captain's fish is on board ship (8) SKIPPERS {S{KIPPER}S}

6   Horse's gait in American territory (6) CANTER [T]

7   Temperature in Lakenheath (4) HEAT [HIPS]

14 Mass disruption around front of palace results in seizure (5) SPASM {S{Pa...e}ASM*}

16 Sycophant is confused today (5) TOADY*

18 Taco for unfaithful person (8) TURNCOAT {TACO}* [RA]

20 At sea, Red Beard's prohibited from participation (8) DEBARRED*

21 Now learn about some type of glands (7) ADRENAL {AD}{LEARN*}

23 Leaving Alabama, Alaskan moving and starting to settle in Midwestern state (6) KANSAS {alASKAN}*{Se...e}

25 Silly ass accepts boy's items can be eaten (6) SALADS {SA{LAD}S*}

27 Object of veneration from lido mislaid (4) IDOL*

29 Ruler removing ant from minaret under construction (4) EMIR {MInaREt}*

Reference List

Student = L, Alien = ET, Special = S, Small = S, Present times = AD, German = DE, Elite force = SS, Romeo = R, Sex appeal = IT, Women = W, Ship = SS