No 14855, Saturday 25 July 2026, Hypatia

 ACROSS
8 Martial art in UK, from East spreading good fun (4,2) KUNG FU {UK<}{G FUN}*

9 Tickets in Universal cover O. Henry's plays (not old) (8) VOUCHERS {U CoVER O H'S}*
10 Censor sports during nice bull fights (4-6) BLUE-PENCIL PE in {NICE BULL}*
11 Couple in noisy clip (4) PAIR {~PARE}
12 Fine priest caught in romantic outing (8) DELICATE {ELI}{C} in DATE
14 Mother's sister lacking a day free (6) UNTIED {aUNTIE}{D} 
15 Animals having five enzymes originally in stomachs (7) BEAVERS BEARS around {V+Enzymes}

17 City in America choked by modern progress (7) CHICAGO {CHIC}{A}{GO}
20 About laymen saving expenses (6) OUTLAY [T]
22 Excuse for party (8) OCCASION [DD]
24 Extremely grateful and cheerful (4) GLAD {GratefuL}{AnD}
25 Brown girl stealing diamonds after greeting's unreliable (3-3-4) HIT-AND-MISS {TAN}{D}{MISS}<=>{HI}
27 Camel train meandering behind Persian taxi (8) BACTRIAN {CAB<}{TRAIN*} Persian=from right to left

28 Forces subordinates moving leader four steps ahead (6) POWERS {-l+P}POWERS L,M,N,O,P.

DOWN
1 Two students boarding vehicle look sweet (5,3) BULL'S EYE {BU{LL}S}{EYE}
2 Beginners in athletics generally use exercise to get fit (4) AGUE [Acrostic]
3 Triumphant cry frequently coming up in park near Pune (6) EUREKA {pArK nEaR pUnE}<
4 Booted new device taking time (7) EVICTED {DEVICE}* around T
5 Leave four rocks around line roughly in the middle (8) FURLOUGH {FOUR}* around L+{roUGHly}
6 Spooner checks birds - they are picked up for Chinese food (10) CHOPSTICKS Spoonerism of Stops Chicks

7 Entrance of road closed by small change becoming flatter (6) PRAISE {P{Road}AISE}
13 Revoke TADA in live broadcast (10) INVALIDATE*
16 Regular Trichy building surrounding every other home (8) RHYTHMIC {TRICHY}* around {HoMe}
18 Associate writing in shiny dictionary (8) GLOSSARY {GLOSS{A}{R}Y}
19 Satisfaction's // something internalised (7) CONTENT [DD]
21 Would app. supply drop quietly with transfer to cloud? (6) UPLOAD {wOULD APp}*
23 Appetiser in saucepan accidentally overturned (6) CANAPE [T<]

26 Catcalls from the show haters ultimately (4) MEWS [Tail Acrostic]

Reference List

Good=G, Universal=U, Old=O, Sports=PE (Physical Exercise), Caught=C, Day=D, Five=V, America=A, Diamonds=D, Student=L, Time=T, Associate=A, Writing=R, Quietly=P, With=W.

No 14854, Friday 24 Jul 2026, Hypatia

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

ACROSS

8   Picked up a date in full-body suit (6) ONESIE (~ one see)

9   Essential food items for adolescents delivered (8) PROTEINS {PRO}{(~teens)TEINS}

10 Rock music without / with metal (8) SCANDIUM {SC{AND}IUM*}

11 Frequently reviewed math, sci though I understand you (6) GOTCHA {mAtH+sCi+ThOuGh<=}

12 Jailbird to assist guard (8) CONSERVE {CON}{SERVE}

13 Local travel mostly arranged before noon (6) TAVERN {TRAVEl}*{N}

14 Bohemian robe at Nike stores (7) BEATNIK [T]

17 Empty building housing most ancient astronomer (7) PTOLEMY {PT{OLd}EMY*}

20 Chiefly unselfish bonding using nobility to unify humanity (6) UBUNTU Acrostic Semi&lit

22 A tear circled face reflecting heated exchange (8) ARGUMENT {A}{R{MUG<]ENT}

25 Fair leader squirming in this scared reel (6) AFRAID  {AFRAID+REEL}*=FAIR LEADER [CA]

26 Initiates deals (5,3) LEADS OFF {DEALS}* [RA]

27 Retired soldier with army worn by death and rivalry (8) VENDETTA {VET}{TA}over {END}

28 Fancy student amidst new hires (6) RELISH {RE{L}ISH*}

DOWN

1   Cast enacted absorbing love story (8) ANECDOTE {ANECD{O}TE*}

2   Positions article controlled by likes (6) ASANAS {AS}{AN}{AS}

3   First Hispanic gent touring India (6) SENIOR {SEN{I}OR}

4   Junk mailer left rotting in jail for pigs primarily (7) SPAMMER S(-l+p)PAMMER

5   Some puff or get itchy? No way! (6,2) FORGET IT [T]

6   Siva left crackers for Diwali, perhaps (8) FESTIVAL*

7   Secure host for a TV show (6) ANCHOR [DD]

15 Regularly trains KIA's rides for liquid transporters (8) TANKARDS {TrAiNs+KiAs+RiDeS}

16 United Nations entering current engagement in flood (8) INUNDATE {IN}{UN}{DATE}

18 Clear display (8) MANIFEST [DD]

19 Spooner's put meat as ingredient in pulao (3,4) BAY LEAF (~lay beef to bay leaf)

21 One required to polish floor cushion (6) BUFFER  [DD]

23 Hard navigating grand city in skirt (6) GHAGRA {H} in {G}{AGRA}

24 Bits of mixed assorted spices adding lingering aroma! (6) MASALA Acrostic &lit

Reference List

Noon = N, Retired soldier = VET, Army = TA, Student = L, India = I, Current = IN, Hard = H, Grand = G