No 14880, Monday 24 Aug 2026, Afterdark

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   Mediation about last daughter's two shares (11) A?B?T?A?I?N ()

7   Catch a policeman (3) COP [DD]

9   Belief of socialist lies in Cuba's offensive (5) CREDO {C}{RED}{O}

10 Say, extractor frequently upsets a soldier on a hill (9) SEPARATOR {upSEts}{PARA}{TOR}

11 Final offer to retain e-reader, perhaps son renews (9) REKINDLES {o..eR}{E}{KINDLE}{S}

12 Dismiss English judge at London area approached by leading tout (5) EJECT {E}{J}{EC}{Tout}

13 Upset after having tea at the auditorium with a delicacy (7) TRUFFLE {RUFFLE}{(~tea)T}

15 Test for old flame meeting a man... (4) EXAM {EX}{A}{M}

18 ...second one carrying a child for some measure (4) INCH {oNe}<=>{A} with {CH}

20 Veteran cycling to call a new date (3,4) OLD HAND {(-h)OLD(+h)H}{A}{N}{D}

23 Global tech company's program given to colleges essentially (5) APPLE {APP}{colLEges}

24 Any basis in short-changing old country? (9) ABYSSINIA {ANY+BASIS+In}*

26 Charlie's at our small joint holding bouquet's tip for dating (9) COURTSHIP {C}{OUR}{S}{HIP} over {b...eT}

27 Watts and Harris, both could be Omani (5) NAOMI*

28 Mock at the newspaper (3) RAG [DD]

29 Always sickly, Prema's last son's taken to specialist and laboratory at the outskirts  (11) PERMANENTLY {PREMA}*{soN}{ENT}{La...rY}

DOWN

1   A catholic clergy is faithful (8) ACCURATE {A}{C}{CURATE}

2   Escape from engagement; trapped spinster ultimately finds energy to take a risk at the end (5,3) BREAKOUT {B{s...eR}{E}{A}{risK}OUT} 

3   Spike is absent, in short a sham (5) THORN {iN+sHORT}*

4   Free sailors, essentially told to take vaccine at the borders (7) ABSOLVE {ABS}{tOLd}{Va...nE}

5   Limp ass escapes within a dead end (7) IMPASSE [T]

6   Hector insured, ma got covered with nanny (9) NURSEMAID*

7   Say, editor is seen in a sailing vessel... (6) CUTTER [DD]

8   ... with good judge and sea robber (6) PIRATE {PI}{RATE}

14 Readily available gift, rep in hurry (9) FINGERTIP*

16 Protective clothing for artist in action shoot (8)  RAINCOAT {RA}{ACTION}*

17 I handle leaderless city to a state of being perfect (8) IDEALITY {I}{DEAL}{cITY}

19 Say, Bush's passion rubs on that woman (7) HEATHER {HEAT}{HER}

20 IMO, play should be reorganised at a plain in Greece (7) OLYMPIA*

21 Cavalryman's network primarily collects Euro to begin rehabilitation (6) LANCER {LAN}{Co...s}{E}{Re...n}

22 Jumped to the step of a ladder after a small gap ultimately (6) SPRUNG {RUNG}<=>{S}{gaP}

25 Meaning of feeling (5) SENSE [DD]

Reference List

Cuba = C, Offensive = O, Hill = TOR, Son = S, English = E, Judge = J, London area = EC, Old flame = EX, Man = M, Child = CH, New = N, Date = D, Charlie = C, Small = S, Catholic = C, Energy = E, Sailor = AB, Good = PI, Artist = RA, Euro = E

Special, Sunday 23 Aug 2026. K Koteswar Rao

Three answers per commenter till 6 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)

Grid will be updated with solutions after 8 PM.

Enjoy.