No 14925, Friday 16 Oct 2026, Crossant

RULES FOR POSTING COMMENTS FOR FRIDAY ONLY

All those who are not regular commenters but who are rookie commenters or silent followers of the blog are requested to post answers with annotations in the comments section. In your own interest please avoid looking up the answers from the interactive version. Don't hesitate to post your annotations, in case you make a mistake in the annotation someone will correct it with the right annotation.

PLEASE NOTE, SOLUTIONS WITHOUT ATTEMPTING THE ANNOTATIONS WILL BE DELETED

Each commenter is requested to post only 5 answers thereby giving others also a chance to participate. Please provide all your answers in one comment.

Regular solvers/Veterans can post 1 answer each, but after 11 AM only.

ACROSS

1   Is he this upset? Acting amateurish (6)

4   Stick with this as a means of persuasion (6)

9   Attendant's salary reduced by wife following suggestion of partner (4)

10 One supplying electrically operated switch controlling resistance (10)

11 Spear cut head of African antelope (6)

12 One uses energy to mould polymer (8)

13 And for us — loose baggy pants (4,5)

15 Backstage kisses? (4)

16 Man in a city in an island nation (4)

17 Man U is good or abysmal — one doesn't know (9)

21 A weapon is pulled by Lieutenant, creating panic (8)

22 10 animated epics — Beowulf to begin with (6)

24Trip is for a non-conformist (4,6)

25 Leaders of Arab nations expecting war again (4)

26 Artist comes back with suggestions for shows (6)

27 Father of British actor Gary? (3,3)

DOWN

1   Check tour — very short distance covering Vatican city (7)

2   Real fan sadly leaves empty football stadium (5)

3   Model construction set in holy city now reduced (7)

5   Hurried with a bit of bounce and reverse swing, nearly clipping top of pad (6)

6   Hair perhaps from a rope? (4,5)

7   Throwing out husband's worthless, broken tools (7)

8   Questioning destruction of Goan territory (13)

14 Royals are playing for 12 months (5,4)

16 Retro hit song — "Killer" maybe (7)

18 Said to cover part of moon's path (7)

19 A large number of youth supporting University representative (7)

20 Only female dropped from new spy film (6)

23 Please plan with time for bit of relaxation (5)

No 14924, Thursday 15 Oct 2026, Mythical

Solution to 28A 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

7   Tolerate burn (5) BROOK [DD]

8   Fighting with others leads individuals nowhere good primarily (9) WRESTLING {W}{REST}{Le,,,s}{In...s}{No...e}}{Good}

10 Some excitement all around? It could make one sick (6) EMETIC [HIPS]

11 Ill-treats player's family members (8) STEPSONS {STEPS ON}{S}

12 Attack popular victor when ace returns (8) INVASION {IN}{V}{AS}{NO 1<=}

13 Be different occasionally! That's good in France (4) BIEN {Be+dIffEreNt}

15 Injured kitten ultimately recovered, healed (7) KNITTED {KITTEN}*{r...eD}

17 Jogs memory of confused nursemaid after a uniform goes missing (7) REMINDS NuRSEMaID*

20 Lying about research centre on island somewhere in Indonesia (4) BALI {LAB<=}{I}

22 Say, man from Zagreb ordered raincoat (8) CROATIAN*

25 Mentioned favour after leader left with communist (8) REFERRED {pREFER}{RED}

26 Bond with judge having lunch (6) TREATY {TR{EAT}Y}

27 A most harsh setter offering sweetener (9) ASPARTAME {A}{SPARTAn}{ME}

28 Government control discussed (5) ?E?G? (Addendum - REIGN (~rein) - See comments)

DOWN

1   Renowned expert to fund books (9) PROMINENT {PRO}{MINE}{NT}

2   Tense agreement (8) CONTRACT [DD]

3   Quietly object to host (7) PRESENT {P}{RESENT}

4   This group row affected seam bowlers  (8)  ASSEMBLE {ASSEMBLE+ROW}=SEAM+BOWLERS

5   Likely seen going around Presidential Palace (6) ELYSEE [T]

6   Foolish sign painter crossing out every other letter (5) INANE {sIgN+pAiNtEr}

9   Bill given top quality fruit (4) ACAI {AC}{A1}

14 Notice vehicle near gate needing repair? Good! (9) ADVANTAGE {AD}{VAN}{GATE*}

16 Resettle girl in Sharjah, perhaps (8) EMIGRATE {EMI{G}RATE}

18 Broke thin reed casually (2,3,3) IN THE RED*

19 A scoundrel essentially surveying my school? (7) ACADEMY {A}{CAD}{s..vEy..g}{MY}

21 Rings sound artist in recess (6) ARENAS {SANE}{RA}<=

23 Heartily dislike obscenity (4) OATH lOATHe

24 Basically, brutish evildoer always showing temper (5) BEAST Acrostic &lit

Reference List

With = W, Player =S, Popular = IN, Victor = V, When = AS, Island = I, Books = NT(New Testament), Quietly = P, Bill = AC, Notice = AD, Girl = G, Artist = RA