No 14689, Monday 12 Jan 2026, Vidwan

Solution to 7D 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

9   One who reproves sozzled pub attacker (9) UPBRAIDER {PUB*}{RAIDER}

10 Under new form of hate (5) NEATH {N}{HATE*}

11 Universal good and a new person like Idi Amin (7) UGANDAN {U}{G}{AND}{A}{N}

12 Almost induce twitch and burning (7) CAUSTIC {CAUSe}{TIC}

13 Not ok! Taunting love! It is wrong, cold and bigoted! (10) JINGOISTIC {JokING}{O}{IT+IS}*{C}

14 First class backward place (4) TOPS<=

16 Lady there perhaps with sadness (15) BROKENHEARTEDLY {LADY+THERE}* [RA]

20 Flair in Semite languages (4) ELAN [T]

21 Climbing and thieving one art club rag, perhaps (3,7) CAT BURGLAR* 

25 Medieval dynasty welcomed English royal, a deadly killer of yore (7) CHOLERA {CHOL{E}{R}A}

26 A timeline followed by Santa, leaving small city in USA (7) ATLANTA {A}{T}{L}{sANTA}

27 Maharishi Vashishta's a yogi! (5) SHIVA [T]

28 Honours contract mostly and millions rain! (9) HAILSTORM {HAILS}{TORn}{M}

DOWN

1   Dishing out PJ in bar is a plan to deceive (3-2,3) PUT-UP JOB {OUT+PJ}* in {PUB}

2   Get old British coach right away! (6) OBTAIN {O}{B}{TrAIN}

3   Large and royal, complete car (9) LANDROVER {L}{AND}{R}{OVER}

4   American professor is a handsome young man (6) ADONIS {A}{DON}{IS}

5   Parasite! Star kid regularly ignored friend! (8) TRICHINA {sTaR+kId}{CHINA}

6   Trunk made of tin on sale (5) SNOUT {SN}{OUT} On sale = OUT?

7   Choke vehicular capacity, perhaps for dark chocolate! (8) ?A?T?O?D (Addendum - CARTLOAD {CARTLOAD+CHOKE}*=DARK CHOCLATE [CA] - See comments))

8   Sips drinks hot bearing a disappointing expression (6) SHUCKS {S{H}UCKS}

15 Clean lid, possibly for distilleries (9) STERILISE {STERILISE+LID}*=DISTILLERIES

17 Talk for the most part on love, endless turmoil and a piece of religious music (8) ORATORIO {ORATe}{O}{RIOt}

18 Ambassador, a backsliding scoundrel, he's a typical pain! (8) HEADACHE {HE}{A}{CAD<=}{HE}

19 Overturned horse cart with hands and parts of a sail (8) YARDARMS {DRAY<=}{ARMS}

20 Starts to exploit new chartered accountant, someone hedging to make money (6) ENCASH Acrostic

22 Black reptile returns, covering distance of an Amazonian state (6) BRAZIL {B}{LIZARd} D/Distance?

23 Tongues caught in roiling osculation (6) LINGOS [T]

24 One who runs back to run through again (5) RECAP<=

Reference List

New = N, Universal = U, Good = G, Cold = C, English = E, Royal = R, Time = T, Line = L, Small = S, Millions = M, Old = O, British = B, Right = R, Large = L, Hot = H, Ambassador = HE, Black = B

Special, Sunday 11 Jan 2026, IXL 2025 On Stage Final 1, Bhavan

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)

Solutions will be available in the grid after 1 PM.

Enjoy.