The Hindu Cryptic No 78, 18 Oct 2026, Incognito

Three answers per commenter till 4 PM (Annotations Compulsory)

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ACROSS

8   Letter in Greek held by Mrs Michael Douglas (4)

9   Block at Smith's workplace (5)

10 Experience absence of maiden on International Space Station (4)

11 Small nuggets resulting in periods of low demand (6)

12 Logically argued about a descendant with editor (8)

13 Calculates speed expected at first by ship in stormy seas (8)

15 Increase CPU kit production (6)

17 Remove name from dead insect without direction and cut up in laboratory (7)

19 Meat having no veins damaged (7)

22 Modified wings from early design around end of August (6)

24 Pass Korea vet in distress (8)

26 Musical instrument made by wrinkling clear tin (8)

28 Bird with Chinese spanner (6)

30 "Fish with a piece of earthworm" in Morse, for example (4)

31 Saint leaving sanatorium building for loved one (5)

32 Diseases found in Catskill sanatorium (4)

DOWN

1   Inform legendary archer (4)

2   Husband with no upper limbs is not dangerous (8)

3   Col.'s free tickets (6)

4   Severe disturbance on model mountain (7)

5   Excited perusal by sweetheart results in joy (8)

6   Bring in wine after one month (6)

7   Insular land in Tunis leased (4)

14 Something used to make alcohol even now (5)

16 Bird goes around large time machine (5)

18 Gadget from China was broken (8)

20 Brave new leader enters extraordinary riptide (8)

21 'F'-word used by aviators (7)

23 Following sailor, attain goal (6)

25 Teddy and Fox in The Day of the Jackal (6)

27 Conveniences in Waterloo station (4)

29 Source of power in prison (4)

No 14926, Saturday 17 October 2026, Arden

Artwork by Prasanna

 ACROSS

1 Building cool shelter — it's in one's blood (11) CHOLESTEROL*
7 Swindle exposed a country (3) GYP {eGYPt}
9 Reportedly stops marriage announcement (5) BANNS {~BANS}
10 Movie about an animal and plant (9) CELANDINE {C{ELAND}INE}

11 Bemoaning a fish-eating catkin (9) LAMENTING {L{AMENT}ING}
12 Bitter about free electricity to start with (5) ACRID {RID}<=>{AC}
13 Secure houses for worker in American city (5,2) SANTA FE {S{ANT}AFE}
15 Carry a shortened pole (4) TOTE {TOTEm}
18 A visitor loses way — gets fever (4) AGUE {A}{GUEst}
20 Uncovered intelligent plan for a busybody (7) MARPLOT {sMARt}{PLOT}
23 Party around bar (5) REVEL<
24 Attack a cricket side and mock in a way (9) ONSLAUGHT {ON}{S{LAUGH}T}
26 Kept woman to figure about copper container (9) CONCUBINE {CON{CU}{BIN}E}
27 Praise openly with some coffee (5) LATTE {fLATTEr}
28 She will turn into a litigant (3) SUE [DD]
29 Use starched pants for historic holy wars (3,8) THE CRUSADES*

DOWN
1 Taxi schedule to pick up a follower of tradition (8) CABALIST {CAB}{A}{LIST}
2 Special mention takes time before it is spread to give relief (8) OINTMENT {MENTION*}{T}
3 City contracts let border guards go (5) ESSEN {lESSENs}
4 Do wear a hat, it's tangible (7) TACTILE T{ACT}ILE
5 Stoke the girl artfully (7) RELIGHT*
6 Learn about players invited into the old house (9) LANCASTER {LEARN*} around CAST

7 Complaint about sex — there's blood all over (6) GOITRE {GO{IT}RE}
8 Pretended to work without a fee — rejected (6) PSEUDO {OP}< around {DUES<}

14 Criminal dealt with guns, also drug (5,4) ANGEL DUST*
16 Disrupted sunshine in the garden (8) BLIGHTED {B{LIGHT}ED}
17 Way one speaks haltingly (8) STUTTERS {ST}{UTTERS}
19 Hard rubber, close to ankle bone it is inserted (7) EBONITE {anklE}{BON{IT}E}
20 Feel sad about carrying bundle of rubber (7) MASSEUR {RUE<}<=>{MASS}
21 Briefly cross over copper plant (6) CROCUS {CRO{CU}Ss}

22 Way to identify a location (6) AVENUE {A}{VENUE}
25 An old sailor brought up the map (5) ATLAS {A}{SALT<}

REFERENCE LIST

Electricity=AC (alternating current), Way=St (Street), Cricket Side=On, Copper=Cu, Time=T, Sex (appeal)=It, Work=Op.