No 14879, Saturday 22 Aug 2026, Afterdark

 ACROSS
8 A rule introduced in eatery for getting a pitcher (6) CARAFE {C{A}{R}AFE}

9 Eater was supplied brine, perhaps (8) SEAWATER*
10 Shortly, issue will be all over head-office (4) SOON {SO{Office}N}
11 Relative's action is engaging; first song better in second part (10) STEPSISTER {STEP}{Song{IS}{betTER}
12 Confusion after he hid a last letter (4) HAZE {H{A}{Z}E}
13 Lot of kind people entering a street (10) ASSORTMENT {SORT}{MEN} in {A}{ST}
17 Kept time post noon to get gas (4) NEON {EON}<=>{N}
18 Stupid, caught robbing primarily, idiot (5) CRASS {C}{Robbing}{ASS}
19 Bowled in pitch to get lift, say (1-3) T-BAR {T{B}AR}

21 Wealthy global travellers seen with black dogs, say (3-7) JET-SETTERS {JET}{SETTERS}
23 Unusual file type extracted in the beginning (4) RARE {RAR}{Extracted}
24 Deal gone wrong in prison, branch siphoned 50% of device to hold lights (10) CANDLEABRA {DEAL*}in {CAN}{BRAnch}

28 Bankrupt Penny gathering ducks to have dinner at the end (4) POOR {P}{O}{O}{dinneR}
29 Foolishly, use cell at the beginning of show if ignorant (8) CLUELESS {USE CELL*}{Show}
30 Outstanding person in York loses head, breaks college equipment at the entrance and runs (6) CORKER {yORK} in {College Equipment}+R

DOWN
1 Drunk sailor aboard, argues frequently leading to disruption (8) SABOTAGE {S{AB}OT}{ArGuEs}
2 Game's rule; point 10 is covering advantage essentially (4,6) LAWN TENNIS {LAW}{N}{TEN{advaNtage}{IS}
3 No charge included in removing parasite from pet, perhaps (7,3) PERSIAN CAT {NC} in {PARASITE*}

4 Lewis Lennox is detaining man, say (4) ISLE [T]
5 Girl tumbler loses cap (4) LASS {gLASS}
6 According to sources, many anarchists support seething crowd (4) MASS [Acrostic]
7 Humble democrat remains oddly away (6) DEMEAN {DEM}{rEmAiN}
14 Son managed to withdraw Euros and wire (5) SNARE {S}{RAN<}{E}
15 Opposition is surrounded by others, one apprehends alderman ultimately (10) RESISTANCE {RES{IS}T}{A{aldermaN}CE}
16 Say, racing to promoters, to redeem debenture ultimately and consolidate (10) MOTORSPORT {TO PROMOTeRS}*

20 Arrive hurriedly to take CO into protection, perhaps (3,5) AIR COVER {ARRIVE}* around {CO}
22 St. Helena blenders seized with warrant (6) ENABLE [T]
25 Sketched a water droplet right inside (4) DREW {D{R}EW}
26 Made up a story and ushered first person inside (4) LIED {L{I}ED}
27 Former president of America spotted in Belize (4) BUSH [DD]

REFERENCE LIST

Rule=R, Street=ST, Noon=N, Caught=C, Bowled=B, Penny=P, Runs=R, Sailor=AB, N o Charge=NC, Democrat=DEM, Son=S, Euros=E, One=Ace, Right=R, First Person=I.

No 14878, Friday 21 Aug 2026, Afterdark

RULES FOR POSTING COMMENTS FOR FRIDAY ONLY

All those who are not regular commenters but who are rookie commenters or silent followers of the blog are requested to post answers with annotations in the comments section. In your own interest please avoid looking up the answers from the interactive version. Don't hesitate to post your annotations, in case you make a mistake in the annotation someone will correct it with the right annotation.

PLEASE NOTE, SOLUTIONS WITHOUT ATTEMPTING THE ANNOTATIONS WILL BE DELETED

Each commenter is requested to post only 5 answers thereby giving others also a chance to participate. Please provide all your answers in one comment.

Regular solvers/Veterans can post 1 answer each, but after 11 AM only.

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

ACROSS

9   Serving hot tray to Husky (7) THROATY*

10 Breaks in as a theologian above talks without substance (7) IRRUPTS {1}{RR}{UP}{TalkS}

11 Cutback on left axis, try with new figure (7) POLYGON {LOP<=}{Y}{GO}{N}

12 Discover a new depth inside and primarily look for a fish (4,3) SAND EEL {S{A}{N}{D}EE}{Look}

13 Worker seen with nurse at a leading lobotomist before birth (9) ANTENATAL {ANT}{EN}{AT}{A}{Lo...t}

15 Till last three characters return, it will be dark (5) UNLIT {UN(TIL<=)}

16 Platelayer in Central Railway, takes a new name after conversion (7) LINEMAN {raiLway}{1}{N+NAME}*

19 Improved employees in Enforcement Directorate executed heartlessly (7) EMENDED {E{MEN}D}{Ex...eD}

20 Free at gunpoint, untied, got out (5) UNPIN gUNPoINt

21 Rural area in two states (2-7) UP-COUNTRY {UP}{COUNTRY}

25 Relative from the father's side is acting outside a building (7) AGNATIC {AGN{A}TIC*}

26 Ultimately got wife to come to ball and advance to dance (3-4) TWO-STEP {goT}{W}{O}{STEP}

28 Leh party in which Regina went after Victor serving French port (2,5) LE HAVRE {LEH}{(-r)AV(+r)RE}

29 Revive used pair daughter discarded, with reconstruction (7) UPRAISE {USEd+PAIR}*

DOWN

1   Ideal place is Andaman & Nicobar perhaps with work at mainland frequently (6) UTOPIA {UT}{OP}{maInlAnd}

2   Jewellery concealed in the farm letterbox (6) ARMLET [T]

3   Husband and short girl put to death (4) HANG {H}{ANd}{G}

4   Young swan in captivity gutted, good catch (6) CYGNET {Ca...tY}{G}{NET}

5   Break up? Settle after husband finally shares inholdings in the suburbs (8) DISSOLVE {SOLVE}<=>{h...nD}{In...gS} What's the role of 'shares'?

6   Mostly vans are out to get redesigned with a new style of decoration (3,7) ART NOUVEAU {VANs+ARE+OUT}* Second U from?

7   Requested to include toll in copy before first despatch (8) APPEALED {AP}PEAL|E}{De...h}

8   Isobel's broke, 50% lost, behind schedule, deserted and ostracized (8) ISOLATED {ISObel}{LATE}{D}

14 I've backed Tom in a neutral arrangement to be appointed to office (10) NOMINATIVE {IVE}<=>{TOM+IN+A+N}*

16 Sterling gold stored initially in locked dogwood can (8) LAUDABLE {Lo...d}{AU}{Do...d}{ABLE}

17 The writer spiralled after new drug as a remedy for grief (8) NEPENTHE {THE}<=>{PEN} after{N}{E}}

18 Aunts circle around church elders primarily in dances (8) NAUTCHES {NAUT{CH}{El...s}S*}

22 Drawback after CT caught a cord (6) CATGUT {TUG<=}<=>{C{A}T}

23 Beginning to dress (ignoring recipe) potato (6) TATTIE {To}{ATTIrE}

24 Youth leader at institute starting to prepare to go and express elation (6) YIPPEE {Yo..h}{I}{Pr...e}{PEE}

27 Essentially programme belongs to us (4) OURS cOURSe

Reference List

Theologian = RR, Left axis = Y, New = N, Depth = D, Nurse = EN(Enrolled Nurse), Wife = W, Regina = R, Victor = V, Daughter = D, Husband = H, Girl = G, Good = G, Deserted = D, Neutral = N, Drug = E, Church = CH, Recipe = R, To go = PEE