No 14841, Thursday 09 Jul 2026, Vidwan

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   Drop 'breather' into sports period (6) PLUNGE {P{LUNG}E}

4   Setting one inside 1760 yards to run naked (6) MILIEU {MIL{1}E}{rUn}

9   Good service! Unending determination! (4) GRIT {G}{RITe}

10 Feature shaped inch by inch, possibly? (6,4) DOUBLE CHIN {INCH}*{INCH}*

11 Miner tailed shepherd dog (6) COLLIE COLLIEr

12 Most open taunt! King shows reserve beyond normal limit! (8) OVERBOOK {OVERt}{BOO}{K}

13 Church official reportedly gives media a short speech? (9) PRESBYTER {(~press biter)PRESBYTER}

15 Flabbergast, unnerve a bit (4) STUN [T] Flabbergast on double duty?

16 Following experienced founder (4) FOLD {F}{OLD}

17 India field after playing spin like role models (9) INSPIRING {I}{RING}<=>{SPIN}*

21 Ace American coach, one promoted for a European (8) AUSTRIAN {A}{US}{TR(+i)IA(-i)N}

22 Metal most of our country bums internally (6) INDIUM {INDIa}{bUMs}

24 Maharaja in Baroda, rejected recipe for special cake ingredient (6,4) BAKING SODA {KING} in {BA(-r+s)SODA}

25 Pile of woody in poppy resort (4) PYRE [T]

26 Smart doctor gets sloppy, loses face (6) DRESSY {DR}{mESSY}

27 Build-up about hot, new mark (6) HYPHEN {HYP{H}E}{N}

DOWN

1   Standard large court, out of bounds establishment (7) PARLOUR {PAR}{L}{cOURt}

2   Before some transeunt illegality (5) UNTIL [T]

3   Wander to find your head fixated on devices (7) G?D?E?Y (Addendum - GADGETY {GAD}{GET}{Your}- See comments)

5   Substitute Scot could be licentious (2,4) IN LIEU {IN+LIEU+SCOT}*=LICENTIOUS [CA]

6   Popular Caribbean state hill where culture can be developed (9) INCUBATOR {IN}{CUBA}{TOR}

7   Set symbol of purity possibly for centurions (7) UNICORN {UNICORN+SET}*=CENTURIONS [CA]

8   A continental organisation's feud internally on expansion (8,5) EUROPEAN UNION {fEUd} EU=European Union

14 Very high style gem, essentially (9) SOLITAIRE {SO}{LIT}{AIR}{gEm} &lit

16 Bad, kind of rad fabric (7) FOULARD {FOUL}{RAD}*

18 Toilet embodying a cold isolation (7) PRIVACY {PRIV{A}{C}Y}

19 Brain cell charged by source of the atomic particle (7) NEUTRON {NEU{The}RON}

20 Nothing breaks grave like methane from manure (6) BIOGAS {BI{O}G}{AS}

23 Intensity of passing advanced, overwhelmed by quiet (5) DEPTH DE(-a+p)PTH

Reference List

Sports period = PE, 1760 yards = MILE, Good = G, King = K, Following = F, India = I, Ace = A, Recipe = R, Special = S, Hot = H, New = N, Standard = PAR, Large = L, Popular = IN, Hill = TOR, Very = SO, High = LIT, Toilet = PRIVY, Cold = C, Advanced = A, Quiet = P

No 14840, Wednesday 08 Jul 2026, Vidwan

Solution to 1A 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   Follower of most wanted leader of Yemen (6) L?C?E? (Addendum - LACKEY {LACKEd}{Ye..n} - See comments) 

4   Pressure over young ones - small windows appearing on screens (3-3) POP-UPS {P}{O}{PUPS} 

8   Hot wind from Africa to Southern Italy, crossing miles over a Saharan state (7) SIROCCO (+si-mo)SIROCCO

9   Allow to join again to study at a top US university (7) READMIT {READ}{MIT}

11 Indian governesses restricted a damage for Shia leaders (10) AYATOLLAHS {AY{A}{TOLL}AHS} 

12 Announced proper ceremony (4) RITE (~right)

13 Publicity fool, unleashes English to make sense (3,2) ADD UP {AD}{DUPe}

14 Gallant and fearless leader undone by rumour about First Lady (3,5) OLD WORLD {bOLD}{WOR{Lady}D}

16 Women are covering cold border violations by army men (3,5) WAR CRIME {W}{AR{C}{RIM}E} POS error

18 Colour copies, having original impressions flipped (5) SEPIA {A{Im...s}PES}<=

20 Time to perish or run (4) TROT {T}{ROT}

21 A cyber cell formed with potential future utility (10) RECYCLABLE*

23 Back to pressing bold and blunt point (7) OBTRUDE {T{B}O<=}{RUDE}

24 Secret desire! Most embarrassed! (7) COVERED {COVEt}{RED}

25 Fool with some secret ingredients (6) CRETIN [T]

26 Still hope endlessly (6) THOUGH THOUGHt

DOWN

1   Common folks in Los Angeles city consuming cocaine (5) LAITY {LA}{cITY}

2   Taken into team mission, possibly for decompositions (2-5) CO-OPTED {COOPTED+MISSION}=DECOMPOSITIONS [CA]

3   Sort of half blue, typical trees in Nilgiris (9) EUCALYPTI {blUE+TYPICAL}* 

5   W-W signs (5) OMENS wOMENS

6   High ground, with bit of ethical stand (7) UNDERGO {GROUND+Et...l}*

7   Hint - I can still play! (9) SCINTILLA*

10 Position of a knight in new cybernation (9) BARONETCY CYBERNATiOn* How is i deleted? (Correction - {BARONETCY+IN}*=CYBERNATION [CA] - See comments)

13 A form of carbon that is not needing oxygen to exist (9) ANAEROBIC {A+CARBON+IE}* Partial Indirect anagram

15 Holds itch, struggling to find a cleaning fabric (9) DISHCLOTH*

17 Cabal's exotic erotic energy (7) COTERIE {EROTIC}*{E}

19 Priest passed on gold at table (7) PLATEAU {P}{LATE}{AU}

21 Unlimited trade limit, oddly for bones (5) RADII {tRADe}{lImIt}

22 Screen church parasite (5) LEECH {LEE}{CH}

Reference List

Pressure = P, Over = O, Southern = S, Italy = I, Miles = M, Publicity = AD, Women = W, Cold = C, Time = T, Bold = B, Cocaine = C, New = N, Energy = E, Priest = P, Screen = LEE, Church = CH