No 14881, Tuesday 25 Aug 2026, Dr. X

Solution to 3D 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   Master dwelt on awful accident in nuclear reactor (8) MELTDOWN {M}{DWELT+ON}*

5   Extract from ripe cacao that's used to induce vomiting (6) IPECAC [T]

10 Mysterious moans in stately home (7) MANSION*

11 Wine merchant beginning to visit model in secret (7) VINTNER {Vi..t}{IN{T}NER}

12 Look at hunk, ultimately sexy (5) STUDY {STUD}{sexY}

13 Thievish con lures a drunk (9) LARCENOUS*

14 Cynthia baked crackers some time ago (4,2,3,3) BACK IN THE DAY*

18 Inadequate actions that pint drinkers avoid? (4,8) HALF MEASURES [C&DD]

21 Love to cuddle over essentially comfortable mat in front of fireplace (9) HEARTHRUG {HEART}{H{c...oRt...e}UG}

23 Ruffle Republican in charge (5) FRILL {F{R}ILL}

24 A con is running outside institute in capital city (7) NICOSIA {A+CON}* over {I}

25 Invalidate union with sick, regressive fellow in New York (7) NULLIFY {N{U}{ILL<=}{F}Y}

26 Provides vehicles to tour Tenerife on vacation (6) CATERS {CA{Te...fE}RS}

27 Extremely wealthy youth at premiere consuming ecstasy in fact is naive (4-4) DEWY-EYED {We...hY}{Yo..h} over {E} in {DEED}

DOWN

1   Starts to malign inept member, very upset about bloomer (6) MIMOSA {Ma...n}{In..t}{Me...r}{SO<=}{A}

2   Group enthralled by alcohol, in euphoria (4,2) LINE UP [T]

3   Raised millions to acquire secluded place producing milk (5,4) D?I?Y ?A?M ()

4   New tea maker with new lid worked very well (4,4,1,5) WENT LIKE A DREAM {TEA+MAKER+NEW+LID}*

6   British coppers in compound caught rogue finally (5) PENCE {PEN}{C}{r..uE}

7   Bond interrupts criminals making agreements (8) CONCORDS {CON{CORD}S}

8   Bows and arrows at first removed from terribly rusty case (8) CURTSEYS {RUSTY+CaSE}*

9   Go nude in revel, cavorting after consuming cocaine in excess (14) OVERINDULGENCE {GO+NUDE+IN+REVEL+C}*

15 Hydrogen and nitrogen extracted essentially in a careful manner (9) HEEDFULLY {H}{nEEDFULLY}

16 Infernal leader of hoodlums restrained by chief, shot in the arm (8) CHTHONIC {CH}{T{Ho...s}ONIC}

17 Straightforward copper probing violent cartel (5-3) CLEAR-CUT {CLEAR{CU}T*}

19 Cotton fabric turning yellow, fraying at centre (6) DIMITY {TIMID<=}{fraYing}

20 Romped in Portugal with hot European lady (6) PLAYED {P}{E+LADY}*

22 Revolting scoundrel grabs son on base - it's shocking (5) TASER {RAT<=} over {S}{E}

Reference List

Master = M, Model = T, Republican = R, Institute = I, Union = U, Fellow = F, Ecstasy = E, About = A, Caught = C, Cocaine = C, Hydrogen = H, Nitrogen = N, Chief = CH, Portugal = P, European = E, Son = S, Base = E

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}<=>{I} 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* (Correction {INSURED}* over {MA} - See comments)

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