No 14908, Saturday 26 Sep 2026, Dr. X

 ACROSS
1 Reflect on boyfriend chasing married university lecturer (4,4) MULL OVER {LOVER}<=>{M}{U}{L}
5 Make a date with model at souk (3,3) ASK OUT*
10 Small case in retreat filled with Ecstasy and drugs (5) DOPES {S POD}< around E
11 Body of clergy members finished discourse (9) PASTORATE {PAST}{ORATE}
12 Spot around canal near institute, very alluring (9) SEDUCTIVE {SE{DUCT}{I}{V}E}
13 Style of Greek architecture in department, old and largely magnificent (5) DORIC {D}{O}{RICh}

14 Paid for cast in commercial (6) ATONED {A{TONE}D}
15 Member feared vile slanderer (7) DEFAMER {M FEARED}*
18 Figures essentially checked by remarkably adroit financial examiner (7) AUDITOR {figUres} in {ADROIT*}
20 Mother captivated by chronicle about Tantric scriptures (6) AGAMAS {MA} in {SAGA<}
22 Greek muse in chamber at Olympia (5) ERATO [T]

24 Very gifted young man won Derby easily, enthralling onlookers at centre (3,6) BOY WONDER {WON DERBY}* around {onloOkers}
25 Drives a vintage sedan, primarily extraordinary (9) NAVIGATES {A VINTAGE Sedan}*
26 Garish cap worn by upper-class Republican (5) LURID {L{U}{R}ID}
27 Recognise South American musical instrument (6) SALUTE {SA}{LUTE}
28 Ignore uproar after head of company is confined (6-2) CLOSED-IN {LOSE}{DIN}<=>{Company}

DOWN
1 Grotesque dame having primarily ugly crown of snakes (6) MEDUSA {DAME}* around {Ugly}{Snakes} & Lit

2 Youth consuming a little pot on island with girlfriend is stoned (9) LAPIDATED {LA{Pot}{I}{DATE}D}
3 After reconsideration, start to check fraud by director nevertheless (2,6,7) ON SECOND THOUGHT ONSET around {CON}{D}{THOUGH}
4 English prince chasing maiden restrained and evacuated (7) EMPTIED {E}{P<=>M}{TIED}
6 Impending danger of floods! Cowers anxiously over embankment (5,2,8) SWORD OF DAMOCLES {FLOODS COWERS}* over DAM

7 Broadcasting soon - AI related films (2-3) ON-AIR [T]
8 See 17 (4,4)
9 Go up with first-class cast winning Oscar at centre (6) ASCEND {A}{S{osCar}END}
16 Strayed in despicable act after drinking a little rum (9) MEANDERED {MEAN}{DE{Rum}ED}
17 Give a foot massage perhaps to cause one to feel exquisite pleasure (Continued in 8 Down) (4,4,4,4) MAKE ONE'S TOES CURL [CD & D]
19 Reduction in tax saves close to one billion (6) REBATE {R{onE}{B}ATE}
20 Fool picking up extremely bonny Australian lady - it's unfathomable (7) ABYSSAL {A{BonnY}SS}{A}{L}
21 English poet in alcohol-free retreat (6) DRYDEN {DRY}{DEN}

23 Hammered nail over very heavy iron block (5) ANVIL {NAIL*} over V

REFERENCE LIST

Married=M, University=U, Lecturer=L, Small=S, Ecstasy=E, Institute=I, Very=V, Department=D, Old=O, Member=M, Upper-class=U, Republican=R, South American=SA, Island=I, Director=D, English=E, Prince=P, Maiden=M, First-Class=A, Billion=B, Australian=A, Lady=L.

No 14907, Friday 25 Sep 2026, Afterdark

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PLEASE NOTE, SOLUTIONS WITHOUT ATTEMPTING THE ANNOTATIONS WILL BE DELETED

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Thanks for the response, here's the regular blog.

ACROSS

1   Mark cut short American travel at the end for nuptial (7) SPOUSAL {SPOt}{USA}{t...eL}

5   Firmly established that Edward is lost in abyss, perhaps (4-3) DEEP-SEA {DEEP SEAted}

9   Section of what Collins etched is a small picture inside a larger one (5) INSET [T]

10 Synthetic gum added to marine element (9) GERMANIUM {GUM+MARINE}*

11 Addition of new interns to orbit moon (9) INSERTION {INSERT{IO}N*}

12 Dismissal leads to travel cost... (5) OUTGO {OUT}{GO}

13 ...party silently in Germany, Italy and Gulf (7) SHINDIG {SH}{IN}{D}{I}{G}

15 Feature of Noble? Honour (7)  EARLOBE {EARL}{OBE}

17 Four-wheeler on railroad could be hot and cold, hard essentially (7) HANDCAR {H}{AND}{C}{hARd}

19 A young woman and boy seen with stranger to have tea shortly (7) LADETTE {LAD}{ET}{TEa}

21 To jeer after inaugural talk? Answer is it's forbidden (5) TABOO {BOO}<=>{Talk}{A}

23 Say, Spiderman's purse nicked by lady having nothing (9) SUPERHERO {PURSE*}{HER}{O}

25 Common people stop an election at Ohio seeking independence (3,6) HOI POLLIO {HOI{POLL}O*}{I}

26 About an old king being perceptive (5) CLEAR {C}{LEAR}

27 Photographic process to obtain colour, yellow primarily at palace peripheries... (7) TINTYPE {TINT}{Ye...w}{Pa..cE}

28 Exaggerated heavily, heartless dupe in disguise plundered primarily (5-2) HYPED-UP {He...lY}{DUPE*}{Pl...d}

DOWN

1   Say, lot of Sprite with wine, whisky, beer etc (7) SPIRITS [DD]

2   Old boy's hearing with enthusiasm (9) OBSESSION {OB}{SESSION}

3   Lecher posed with last lady Regina (5) SATYR {SAT}{ladY}{R}

4   Member having a drink with girl in a garment (7) LEGGING {LEG}{GIN}{G}

5   Upset that Leander Angelo is hiding (7) DERANGE [T]

6   Captivated by love affair in dire need (9) ENAMOURED {EN{AMOUR}ED*}

7   Fast but being slow at the corners provided time (5) SWIFT {SloW}{IF}{T}

8   Opening in the garment of member is uncut reportedly (7) ARMHOLE {ARM}{(~whole)HOLE}

14 Contrasting division of being moody with itch awkwardly (9) DICHOTOMY {MOODY+ITCH}*

16 Improving the demo, adding two notes in composition (2,3,4) ON THE MEND {THE+DEMO+N+N}*

17 An important person gets angry with clumsy host (7) HOTSHOT {HOT}{HOST*}

18 To explain again shows dedication (7) RESOLVE {RE-SOLVE}

19 Program in calendar cut short by chief helmsman of the Scandinavian people (7) LAPPISH {L{APP}ISt}{He...n}

20 Self-aggrandisement is for example, nothing in front of teacher's limits, a small pittance (3,4) EGO TRIP {EG}{O}{Te...eR}{I}{Pi...e}

22 Child, one in shed (5) BAIRN {BA{1}RN}

24 Summary of lecture captured partly (5) RECAP [T]

Reference List

Edward = TED, Moon = IO, Silently = SH, Germany = D, Hot = H, Cold = C, Stranger = ET, Answer = A, Independence = I, About = C, Old Boy = OB, Regina = R, Girl = G, Time = T, Note = N