No 14741, Saturday 14 Mar 2026, Karaoke

 ACROSS
1 One who found words like racecar is friend in need finally getting essential aid in violent storm (12) PALINDROMIST {PAL}{IN}{neeD}{{aId} in {STORM*}} DBE: Racecar is a palindrome
9 Almost long-headed animal (5) SHREW {SHREWd}

10 Eats crows at sea in the most negative circumstances (5-4) WORST-CASE*
11 Triumph over cheating queen, earl and king (7) CONQUER {CON}{QU}{E}{R}
12 Deteriorate with age, in essence perhaps (7) SENESCE*
13 Setter on spot takes interest to fight for television (5,3) IDIOT BOX {I}{D{I}OT}{BOX}
14 Herbal treatment without tablets essentially in clinic for users (5) REHAB {HERBAl}*
18 Big boy chopping heads in compound (5) ALLOY {tALL bOY}
20 Top champion after consuming heroin creates nuisance (8) HEADACHE {HEAD}{AC{H}E}
24 It disperses crowds taking drink at programs regularly (4,3) TEARGAS {TEA}{pRoGrAmS}
26 Foreign figure hires assassin finally for shooting (7) GUNFIRE {FIGURE}* over {assassiN}
27 Female enthralled by funny swimmer (9) CLOWNFISH {CLOWN{F}ISH}

28 Drink right on your toes (5) ALERT {ALE}{RT}
29 Gluey door for a difficult situation to face (6,6) STICKY WICKET {STICKY}{WICKET}

DOWN
1 Everlasting toll includes interior upgrade (9) PERENNIAL {PEAL} over {INNER<}
2 Spooner set eyes on stolen money in case (7) LAWSUIT {Spoonerism of SAW LOOT}
3 Place for briefing latest or most abrupt development (8) NEWSROOM {NEW}{OR MOSt*}
4 Most unusual nail, right on top (6) RAREST {+R}{AR(-r)EST} Nail=Arrest with one of the Rs moving to top.
5 Maybe any time performance finally? Yes, no. Only daytime show (7) MATINEE {ANy TIME}*{performancE}
6 Breaks handcuffs (5) SNAPS [DD]
7 Breathe loudly and punch audibly, that's type of bid in bridge (7) PSYCHIC {~ SIGH KICK}
8 Frenzy in function, lady boycotting bar (5) FEVER {F}{lEVER}
15 He draws plans in theocratic school sacrificing love (9) ARCHITECT {THEoCRATIC}*
16 The discipline that ensures family's happiness if he's gun perhaps (4,4) FENG SHUI*
17 Maybe cardinal's flat is in dirty place (7) SEVENTY {EVEN} in {STY}
19 Chemical-free cigar mostly not going up in smoke (7) ORGANIC {CIGAR NOt}*
21 Soldiers cycling in mysterious state (7) DENMARK {(-m)EN(+M)} in {DARK}

22 Model wearing belt in store (5) STOCK {S{T}OCK}
23 Become rigid, very upsetting sort, largely yes (6) OSSIFY {SO<}{SIFt}{Y}
25 Stop blood primarily going into arterial vessel abruptly (5) ABORT {Blood} in {AORTa}

REFERENCE LIST

Queen=Qu, Earl=E, King=R (Rex), Setter=I, Interest=I, Heroin=H, Female=F, Right=Rt, R, Yes=Y, Function=F, Lady=L, Love=0=O, Model=T.

No 14740, Friday 13 Mar 2026, Gussalufz

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SIX FOR DRAVID

ACROSS

9   Rouse a crowd, say, with: "Let ICE fry in hell!" (9) ELECTRIFY*

10 Fool's confession? Gather together (5) AMASS {AM ASS}

11 Delegates declined drinks (had food) in retreat (7) DETAILS {SLI{ATE}D}<=

12 Terribly despicable (not "possibly bad"!) alignment with dark consequences (7) ECLIPSE {dESPICabLE}*

13 Gathering in old city? No parking (5) EKING pEKING

14 Super sale blowout delights (9) PLEASURES*

16 A characteristic of a mole: rams above-ground building (9,6) AVOGADROS NUMBER*

19 Setter's sixth sense rejected eating noodles with Dr. X, perhaps (9) PSEUDONYM {MY}{ESP}<= over {UDON} 

22 Make a hash of blowing new horn (5) BUGLE BUnGLE

24 Slice of tasteless ham? Poor free offering in hotel (7) SHAMPOO [T]

26 Still harbouring a touch of resentment or done? (7) THROUGH {TH{Re...t}OUGH}

27 Short story about something deadly and gripping (5) TALON {TALe}{ON}

28 Advocate uncle's case follows "good lie" going awry (9) IDEOLOGUE {UnclE}<=>{GOOD+LIE}*

DOWN

1   Getting upset, some held demonstrations to interfere (6) MEDDLE [T<=]

2   Regularly seen once, Guntur lion now is a very fast and hard-to-find traveller (8) NEUTRINO {oNcE+gUnTuR+lIoN+nOw}

3   Performers bring cycles into rack (6,4) STRING BAND {ST{(-b)RING(+b)B}AND}

4   Raises price of second-rate, extremely insipid drink (4,2) BIDS UP {B}{In...iD}{SUP}

5   Prepares to print test (yes, after repairs), inserting page (8) TYPESETS {TEST+YES}* over {P}

6   Separation: wife gets everything (4) WALL {W}{ALL}

7   Hack: become thinner consuming minimally, essentially (6) TAMPER {TA{m..iMa..Y}PER}

8   Judge a rose, looking at sections repeatedly (8) ASSESSOR [Letterbank]

15 Unpleasant smell under butt, right? Only after scratching opening in a persistent manner (10) STUBBORNLY {BO}<=>{STUB} and {R}{oNLY}

16 A very quiet old place is suitable (8) APPOSITE {A}{PP}{O}{SITE}

17 Arup, inform Gita: "Exposed, try to escape!" (3,3,2) RUN FOR IT {aRUp}{iNFORm}{gITa}

18 Have hard feelings about buggy debugger (8) BEGRUDGE*

20 When a blessing carries sanction (6) ENABLE [T]

21 Parent of insect queen (6) MOTHER [DD]

23 Repeats start of exercise routines without resistance (6) ECHOES {Ex...e}{CHOrES}

25 Colour of Pandya's first tattoo (4) PINK {Pa...a}{INK}

Reference List

Parking = P, New = N, About = ON, Second-rate = B, Page = P, Wife = W, Unpleasant smell = BO(Body odour), Right = R, Very quiet = PP, Old = O, Resistance = R