No 14801, Saturday 23 May 2026, Saral

 ACROSS
7 Coach crossing borders of Ecuador landscape (7) TERRAIN {T{EcuadoR}RAIN}
8 Land for cultivation almost lay bare, abandoned (6) ARABLE {LAy BARE}*
9 Pound meat, mostly simple (6) HAMMER {HAM}{MERe}
10 Enthusiastic joker, say is an unexpected entrant (8) WILDCARD {WILD}{CARD}
11 Think new ad stunned producer in the end (10) UNDERSTAND {AD STUNNED produceR}*
13 Vent in yard somewhat small (4) TINY [T]
14 Originally artistic, perfectly styled ecclesiastical (4) APSE [Acrostic] & Lit

16 Bill controlling instrument's opening sound (5) NOISE {NO{Instrument}SE}
18 Wine in plastic (4) ASTI [HIPS]

19 Traces of shimmering mist outside garage pollution (4) SMOG [Acrostic]
21 Improve finally female, male ratio somehow (10) AMELIORATE {femalE MALE RATIO}*
23 Quiet again possibly outside hotel in city (8) SHANGHAI {SH}+{AGAIN}* outside {H}
25 Escape from leader leaving retreat (6) EGRESS {rEGRESS}
26 Finish shift around noon online (6) VENEER {VEER} around {N}{E}
27 Devilish convict suppressing leaders of undertrial cellmates (7) LUCIFER {LIFER} around {Undertrial}{Cellmates}

DOWN

1 To begin with play two notes before debut (8) PREMIERE {Play}{RE}{MI}{ERE}
2 Ford, perhaps covering head, tailing German troops (8) GARRISON {hARRISON}<=>{G}
3 Blizzard? Initially shovel right away (4) SNOW {Shovel}{NOW}
4 A daughter following dance and song (6) BALLAD {A}{D}<=>{BALL}
5 Post describing company symbol (6) MASCOT {MAS{CO}T}

6 Drink consuming smart music maker (8) CLARINET {CLAR{IN}ET}

7 Mark, say in wagon behind bar (5) TWAIN {WAIN}<=>{T}

12 Amateur moaned aloud? Secretly! (5) ASIDE {A}{SIDE}(~SIGHED)
15 Maybe help a politician with essentially voter notice (8) PAMPHLET {HELP A MP}*{voTer}
17 Proof from new church supporting first lady having papers (8) EVIDENCE {N}{CE}<=>{EV{ID}E}
18 Flier in A-one barge carrying empty car (8) AIRCRAFT {A1}{RAFT} around {CaR}
20 Friend in gang occasionally wheeling goose (6) GANDER {fRiEnD iN gAnG}<
21 Join a discussion from the beginning in this place (6) ADHERE {A}{Discussion}{HERE}
22 Spot a sergeant holding weapon (5) TASER [T]

24 Jobless International director left capital of Europe (4) IDLE {I}{D}{L}{Europe}

REFERENCE LIST

Quiet=Sh, Hotel=H, Noon=N, Online=E, Notes=RE and MI, German=G, Daughter=D, Company=CO, Smart=In, Amateur=A, Politician=MP, New=N, Church=CE, Papers=ID, International=I, Director=D, Left=L.

No 14800, Friday 22 May 2026, Karaoke

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ACROSS

1   Scene at the end maybe premature end? (5,8) DEATH SENTENCE*

9   Life in Beirut occasionally could be without issue (9) INFERTILE {LIFE+IN+bEiRuT}*

10 Reportedly he brings charges against channel (5) SEWER (~suer)

11 Lady supervisor cooking roti and naans mainly in dining hall (9) MONITRESS {ROTI+Naans}* in {MESS}

12 A plant originally camouflaged insect (5) APHID {A}{Pl..t}{HID}

13 Act fine, finishing off, get the weapon used by police (5) LATHI {LAw}{THIn}

14 Bury husband inside with a woman especially wearing nothing (2,3,3) IN THE RAW {INT{H}ER}{A}{W}

18 Heartily takes panties off in a mental hospital (8) SNAKEPIT {taKes+PANTIES}* Enu should be (5-3) as per Chambers

19 Struggle to clear elementary school? Take test again (5) RESIT RESIsT

21 Goes steady with fruits (5) DATES [DD]

23 He cashes in on old vehicle essentially in problem with petrol (9) EXPLOITER {EX} and {vehIcle} in {PETROL}*

24 Watch fire, let off steam inside for cured meat (5) BACON {BeACON} Watch fire? Signal fire I have heard

25 Nicotine usage keeps health ultimately at risk (2,4,3) ON THIN ICE {NICOTINE}* over {h...tH}

26 Shopping bag weighs a ton and moves impressively (4,4,1,4) GOES WITH A BANG*

DOWN

1   Maybe the Latin rectified modern English (8,7) DEFINITE ARTICLE {LATIN+RECTIFIED}*{E}

2   Voice box for blitzkrieg (3,6) AIR STRIKE {AIR}{STRIKE}

3   Author of Hotel upset with Emily on vacation (6) HAILEY {Ho..l}{AIL}{EmilY}

4   Church service is all the same, no good (8) EVENSONG {EVEN}{SO}{N}{G}

5   Inventor's writing tablet recycled (5) TESLA {(+te)TESLA(-te)} 

6   When ghost train with passenger in the middle crashes that surprises me (3,6,1,5) NOW THERES A THING* {WHEN+GHOST+TRAIN+p..sEn..r}*

7   Dear friend regularly dropped and made a booboo (5) ERRED {dEaR+fRiEnD}

8   Frequent flyers earn them while travelling to exotic Israel with family essentially (3,5) AIR MILES {ISRAEL+faMIly}*

15 Mohican dancing around Arabic music maker (9) HARMONICA {MOHICAN}*{AR}

16 Bird with weather-beaten neck mainly (8) WATERHEN {WEATHER}*{Neck}

17 Bite loaf at sea, It may be your source of survival (8) LIFEBOAT*

20 Photograph that revealed a small ulcer (6) APHTHA [T]

21 Maiden appearance, good for model, correct? (5) DEBUG DEBU(-t+g)G

22 Wines brewed for stamina (5) SINEW*

Reference List

Husband = H, Woman = W, English = E, No = N, Good = G, Arabic = AR, Model = T