No 14744, Wednesday 18 Mar 2026, Pixie Dust

Solution to 6D has been deliberately left unsolved and is to be answered 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   Salt & ice repeatedly consumed... It's divine? (14) ECCLESIASTICAL* Letter Bank

10 Finally Emma, Theo & Roger sight a large vessel (5) AORTA Tail acrostic

11 Spooner's model kin in protective covering (9) NOSEPIECE (~pose niece to nosepiece)

12 Fine in a US state and city (7) OKINAWA {OK}{IN}{A}{WA}

13 Old lady tires out masters (7) MAESTRI {MA}{TIRES*}

14 Curb mob hastily in possession of recalled weapon (1-4) H-BOMB [T<=]

16 Introduce entropies animatedly (9) INTERPOSE*

19 Two young women court lecturer in thermal material (5,4) GLASS WOOL {G}{LASS}{WOO}{L}

20 To some extent glad it's revolutionary and related to current events? (5) TIDAL [T<=]

22 About the endless conflict with Tesla? Awry! (7) ATHWART {A}{THe}{WAR}{T}

25 Exhausted chap Miles, with chapped dirty tumbler (7) GYMNAST {GuY}{M}{NASTy}

27 An "Oval VIP" broadcast referring to the work of a psychologist (9) PAVLOVIAN*

28 As per rumours Miss is unattached (5) LOOSE (~lose) 

29 Does this entitlement programme somehow ease Clod's curiosity? (6,8) SOCIAL SECURITY {SOCIAL+SECURITY+DOES}* = {EASE CLODS CURIOSITY}

DOWN

2   Movies (not English) about Ohio supporting automobile growth (9) CARCINOMA {CINeMA} over {O} under {CAR}

3   Beast and spiritual leader in conversation (5) LLAMA (~lama)

4   Bewildered oarsman in country (3,6) SAN MARINO*

5   Mob cycling around a state in the east (5) ASSAM (-m}ASS(+m) over {A}

6   What a toupee protects is off the record! (3-6) T?P-?E?R?T  (Addendum - TOP-SECRET [C&DD] - See comments)

7   Comb caught by others (5) CREST {C}{REST}

8   General we hear, fixed a dangerous marine condition (3,4) LEE TIDE {LEE}{(~tied)TIDE}

9   Boot from every third magical elmwood? Sigh! (6) GALOSH {maGicAl+eLmwOod+SigH}

15 Supervisor with a heavenly body in a Brazilian dance (5,4) BOSSA NOVA {BOSS}{A}{NOVA}

17 Emerging adult assumes stage is created basically for one well suited to be on screen (9) TELEGENIC {TE{LEG}EN}{Is}{Cr...d}

18 Radical amount? (3,3,3) ODD MAN OUT {AMOUNT}* [RA]

19 Reprimand visiting grand parents for alcoholic drinks (7) GRAPPAS {G}{RAP}{PAS}

21 Panic inside flat he renovated (6) LATHER [T]

23 Leaders having a vacation over Christmas in confusion (5) HAVOC Acrostic

24 Rides in slips (5) TRIPS [DD]

26 Grinder just switched sides (5) MOLAR MO(+l-r)LA(-l+r)R

Reference List

Young woman = G,LASS< Lecturer = L, Tesla = T, Miles = M, English = E, Caught = C, Grand = G

No 14743, Tuesday 17 Mar 2026, Pixie Dust

Have an early morning drive, so leaving the CW for the regulars. Will update the post later in the evening.

Three answers per commenter till 1 PM (Annotations compulsory) 

Please submit all your answers in one comment.  

(COMMENTS ENTERED WITH LESS THAN THREE ANSWERS/ANNOTATIONS WILL BE DELETED WITHOUT NOTICE, UNLESS THE COMMENTER SPECIFIES THAT IT IS A COMPENSATION FOR A REPEAT)

ACROSS

1   Diplomatic organisation's mainly political acknowledgement, brief & empty (6) UNPACK {UN}{Po...l}{ACK}

5   Gossip about satisfactory sex, (ultimate fantasy!) and celibacy (8) CHASTITY {CHA{S}T}{IT}{f...sY}  

9   Reverend's not pleased at first, to admit Switzerland's sailing vessel (8) SCHOONER {SpOONER} over {CH}

10 Picked up rows, few and far between (6) SPARSE (~spars)

11 Imperious dad in Paris, meets conservative member of parliament going ahead (10) PEREMPTORY {PERE}{TORY}<=>{MP}

12 Yes, cycled around park, See! (4) ESPY {(+y)YES(+y)Y} over {P}

13 My one emergency fund? (3,5) MAD MONEY {MY+ONE}* [RA]

16 Finally locked abusive chef, without official delay, skilfully (6) DEFTLY Tail Acrotic

17 Try solid, clipped font (6) GOTHIC {GO}{THICk}

19 Pipes too can be different (8) OPPOSITE*

21 Grave stand to begin with, bishop is extremely righteous? (4) BIER Acrostic

22 Busybody's late - frequently picked on? (10) TATTLETALE Letterbank

25 Analyse speed of light and unit of distance (6) PARSEC {PARSE}{C}

26 Sea captain spends energy and prime resources for a tall pole that supports the sails (8) MAINMAST {MAIN}{MASTer}

27 On vacation referee is back with double net (8) RESIDUAL {Re...rE}{IS<=}{DUAL}

28 Tempestuous stud smuggles gold for members of a royal family (6) TUDORS {STUD}* over {OR}

DOWN

2   Mother of Pearl, adventurer (Canadian) carried from the south (5) NACRE [T<=]

3   Make up for amateur kicking small rock (5) ATONE {A}{sTONE}

4   Spooner orders: "Call Uncle Boss!" (7) KINGPIN (~ping kin to kingpin)

5   Swear endlessly or begin to yell, it's unmindful (7) CURSORY {CURSe}{OR}{Yell}

6   Surveyed a small state, extremely excluded (7) ASSAYED {A}{S}{SAY}{Ex...eD}

7   Sad effort deployed to reach some kind of compromises (5-4) TRADE-OFFS*

8   Should this flier indiscriminately hold up stilettos? (4,5) TEST PILOT {TEST+PILOT+SHOULD}*=HOLD UP STILETTOS [CA]

14 A magic toe developed these days? (6,3) ATOMIC AGE*

15 Overly theatrical actor upset with a former Prime Minister's mentor (9) MAHARISHI {HAM<=}{A}{RISHI}

18 Loosely cut each food additive (7) CATECHU 

19 Perfect gem capturing endless era (7) OPTIMAL {OP{TIMe}AL}

20 Principal mistakenly protects one who works hand-in-hand with customer (7) PALMIST [T]

23 Modest statement:"I'm idealistic to a large extent (5) TIMID [T]

24 Underdog's not the first person wrapping up deal successfully (5) LOSER cLOSER

Reference List

Satisfactory = S, Sex = IT, Switzerland = CH, Dad in French = PERE, Conservative = TORY, Park = P, Speed of light = C, Energy = E, Gold = OR, Amateur = A, Small = S