No 14871, Thursday 13 Aug 2026, Arden

Solution to 2D 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   Such a number is a contradiction — any way you look at it (5,3,2,4) NEVER ODD OR EVEN <=>

10 Old lot rejected praise (5) EXTOL {EX}{LOT<=}

11 Visit to observe things first hand and make landfall (5,4) FIELD TRIP {FIELD}{TRIP}

12 Hog on surplus, not to be returned (7) GLUTTON {GLUT}{NOT<=}

13 It's iced rum which is most unpredictable (7) DICIEST*

14 Drive over dead animal (5) ELAND {ELAN}{D}

16 Love to read part of a review at a roman institution (9) INAMORATA [T<=]

19 Plant to look intelligent (9) EYEBRIGHT {EYE}{BRIGHT}

20 Well chosen land (5) SPAIN {SPA}{IN}

22 Increasing current passing through the coil (7) RAMPING {R{AMP}ING}

25 A worker getting angry about firm (7) ADAMANT {A}{MAD<=}{ANT}

27 Unfortunately, Hindus get blinded (9) UNSIGHTED*

28 Some return from Newcastle to Hedley to find accommodation (5) HOTEL [T<=]

29 Our fearsome dog barking as well (3,4,7) FOR GOOD MEASURE* 

DOWN

2   Engage half heartedly to accommodate travel companions (9) E?T?U?A?E ()

3   Confidence shown amid all the clatter (5) ECLAT [T]

4   Being rude is bad conclusion (9) OFFENDING {OFF}{ENDING}

5   Fear of death before scan (5) DREAD {D}{READ}

6   They wrote proclamations which embarrassed the cast (9) REDACTORS {RED}{ACTORS}

7   Engine driver set to keep within the lines (5) VERSE [T]

8   Rising prospect of hard hat perhaps finding a fraction of crude oil (7) NAPHTHA {PAN<=}{H}{HAT*}

9   Outstanding protection for English disease (6) DENGUE {D{ENG}UE}

15 Audacity of the Democratic party to go about making mistakes (7-2) DERRING-DO {D}{DO} over {ERRING}

17 Twinkling star will confuse on how to ride a horse (9) ASTRADDLE {STAR*}{ADDLE}

18 Destroy area, blast the stone (9) ALABASTER* 

19 Uniform force inside frame made to protect against cold and noise (7) EARMUFF {U}{F} in {FRAME}*

21 Outsiders narrate that line in anger (6) NETTLE {Na...tE}{ThaT}{LinE}

23 Tight-fisted gentleman is wasting time (5) MISER MIStER

24 To end it all, camping area not safe and enclosed (5) GATED Tail Acrostic

26 Jack embraces, he remains (5) ASHES {AS{HE}S}

Reference List

Old = EX, Dead = D, Chosen = IN, Death = D, Prospect = PAN, Hard = H, Democratic = D, Party = DO, Uniform = U, Force = F, Time = T

No 14870, Wednesday 12 Aug 2026, Arden

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

1   Fools stay home, he takes them out (8) ASSASSIN {ASS}{ASS}{IN}

5   Even America is all gas (6) FLATUS {FLAT}{US}

10 Organic material around here in the centre is bone (7) HUMERUS {HUM{hERe}US}

middle — could also be a starter (7) RAVIOLI {dRAVId}{sOLId}

12 Woman or man in the opera (5) NORMA [T]

13 Downturn with fish diminishing (9) DWINDLING {D}{WIND}{LING}

14 "Press 4", most of them say (6,6) FOURTH ESTATE {FOUR}{THEm}{STATE}

18 Chester Allen cooked mushrooms (12) CHANTERELLES*

21 It may follow Bobby on duty (6,3) POLICE DOG {DOG}<=>{POLICE} Semi&lit

23 Change by shuffling at the top in the future (5) ALTER (L<=>A}ALTER

24 Tear off layer of mud (7) EARTHEN {TEAR*}{HEN}

25 Do second language from first grade (7) SHINDIG {S}{HINDI}{Gr..e}

26 Ring in place, digging out the odd bits (6) S?G?E?  (Addendum - SIGNET {S{dIgGiNg}ET} - See comments)

27 It receives a call for help like by day's end showing geological balance (8) ISOSTASY {I{SOS}T}{AS}{daY}

DOWN

1   Since then, invested the capital (6) ATHENS {A{THEN}S}

2   Doctor punctures boil, it's serious (6) SOMBRE {SO{MB}RE}

3   Go through and through the tap — it's open (6,3) SPREAD OUT {SP{READ}OUT}

4   Home team call to cover shoot up is illegal (7,7) INSIDER TRADING {IN}{SIDE}{R{DART<=}ING}

6   Place 4 in sealed cover and cross (5) LIVID {L{IV}ID}

7   Left uprising — Indian state is hot and humid (8) TROPICAL {PORT<=}{I}{CAL}

8   Rash with ones hard to go through (8) SHINGLES {S{H}INGLES}

9   Gold and tin brought up by lifts — keeping record of those who study birds (14) ORNITHOLOGISTS {OR}{TIN<=}{HO{LOG}ISTS}

15 Plots scores in a random fashion (9) SCENARIOS*

16 Drains for meals eaten cold (8) SCUPPERS {S{C}UPPERS}

17 Cow to crow about accomplice (8) BALLYRAG {B{ALLY}RAG}

19 Somehow assimilated but miles away from grounds (6) STADIA ASsImilATsD*

20 Scream over a horse that's ragged (6) CRAGGY {CR{A}{GG}Y}

22 Fish for business turn over (5) COHOE {CO}{HOE}

Reference List

Home = IN, Down = D, Second = S, Doctor = MB, Indian = I, Hard = H, Cold = C, Horse = GG, Business = CO