No 14798, Wednesday 20 May 2026, Gussalufz

Solution to 28A has been deliberately left unsolved and is to be answered 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.

FIVE FIRSTS

ACROSS

1   I.A.S.-mess-rejected paneer is cooked for groom (5) PREEN {PaNEER+is}*

4   Think, essentially during rehabilitating, dad's peer lost hope (9) DESPAIRED {thInk}* in {DADS+PEER}*

9   Therefore, time to get into fried roti and rice dish (7) RISOTTO {SO}{T} in {ROTI}*

10 I caught hint of lightheartedness in tear-jerking piece (7) ARTICLE {ART{I}{C}{Li...s}E*}

11 "Am like this" statement of kinky person's sex life (4-10) SELF-EXPRESSION {PERSONS+SEX+LIFE}* {PERSONS+SEX+LIFE}*

12 Has secretly grown stronger (4) OWNS [T]

13 Internal communication terminals? Never send shocking letters (5,4) NERVE ENDS*

17 Brought balance to English squad? Lie, unfortunately (9) EQUALISED {E}{SQUAD+LIE}*

19 So savage, revolting! (4) ERGO<=

22 Typical daily routine, retired father's habit (14) CHARACTERISTIC {CHAR}{ACT}{SIRE<=}{TIC}

25 Muslim League Dr. regularly rejected separation theory? (7) DUALISM {MuSlIm+LeAgUe+Dr}<=

26 Call mum, son's misbehaving (7) SUMMONS*

27 Thought Tendulkar initially did umpiring all around (9) MEDITATED {MEDI{Te...r}ATED}

28 Jam? Badgers not sure (5) P?E?S ()

DOWN

1   Whisper: "Is cop ethically carrying navy instrument?" (9) PERISCOPE [T]

2   Greek character cycled solo, drinking sip after exercising (7) EPSILON {(+e)ELON(-e)} over {SIP}*

3   Tune cocktail, adding minute bit of ground spice (6) NUTMEG {TUNE}* over {M} and {Gr...d}

4   Dung drips, pong spreads (9) DROPPINGS*

5   Film mount (5) SCALE [DD]

6   Cadet, set target somewhat westward; confirmed? (8) ATTESTED [T<=]

7   Nocturnal creature gallivanting on a croc (7) RACCOON*

8   Outstanding tenor song (4) DUET {DUE}{T}

14 Put right colour on unfinished sweet after flipping (9) REDRESSED {RED}{DESSERt<=}

15 Arrays of small pipes constraining toilet area (9) SHOWCASES {S}{HO{WC}{A}SES}

16 Philanthrope, gangster, one inspired by faith (8) ALTRUIST {AL}{TRU{1}ST}

18 Never listened to you (reportedly) and her frolicking (7) UNHEARD {(~you)U)(AND+HER}*

20 Fury wife unleashed on staff, blowing top for dirty room (7) RATHOLE {wRATH}{pOLE}

21 Stabilise tree stump, cutting 40% off (4,2) FIRM UP {FIR}{stUMP}*

23 Around peak of Olympus, encountered heavenly sight (5) COMET {C}{Ol...s}{MET}

24 Feature gains depth deleting tense reference entry (4) IDEM I(+d-t)DEM

Reference List

Time = T, English = E, Minute = M, Tenor = T, Small = S, Toilet = WC, Area = A, Gangster = AL(Capone), Wife = W, Around = C, Depth = D, Tense = T

No 14797, Tuesday 19 May 2026, Avtaar

Solution to 1D has been deliberately left unsolved and is to be answered 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   Almost relaxed about conducting children's drill (6) SCHOOL {LOOSe<=} over {CH}

4   Recurrent mistake inhibiting No.1 in Open American championship (8) ESPOUSAL {LAPSE<=} over {Open}{US}

9   Delivery of the French whiskeys reduced by 50% (6) LABOUR {LA}{BOURbons}

10 Non-combatant John defending criminal vilified after disappearance of female editor (8) CIVILIAN {CAN} over {VILIfIed}

11 Following mushy, thick paella Avtaar will calm down (4,1,5,4) TAKE A CHILL PILL {THICK+PAELLA}*{I'LL}

13 Savoury can be chosen after starter for dinner (10) DELECTABLE {ELECTABLE}<=>{Di...r}

14 Ebbing river that is close to Warsaw Embankment (4) WEIR {R}{IE}{w...aW}<=

16 Show rear end of catheter removed from ass (4) MOON MOrON

18 Menacing coach upset by stragglers, finally isolated places for late-comers? (10) GRAVEYARDS {GRAVE}{DRAY<=}{s...rS}

21 Chemical from mobile charging distorted resolution (14) NITROCELLULOSE {NITRO{CELL}ULOSE*}

23 Male model exposed retrograde tendency to play favourites (8) NEPOTISM {M}{SIT}{OPEN}<=

24 Round table made flat on both sides (6) OBLATE {O}{TABLE}*

25 Confirming result briefly on phone (8) ENSURING {ENSUe}{RING}

26 Afternoon school's principal visiting faculty nowhere to be seen (6) ABSENT {A}{B{Sc...l}ENT}

DOWN

1   Deposit left in knife dropped down (4) S?L? (Addendum - SILT S(-l)I(+l)LT - See comments)

2   Spike in upwardly mobile Mongolian Bohemians (7) HOBNAIL [T<=]

3   Old coins from Britain embodying earliest signs of unusually lavish luxury (8) OPULENCE {O}{P{Un...y}{La...h}ENCE}

5   Bent lever is lit to control pressure in instrument (6,5) SPIRIT LEVEL {LEVER+IS+LIT}* over {P}

6   Flyer to Rio leaving borders (6) ORIOLE [T]

7   Party embracing the essence of quick unaided execution (7) SUICIDE {S{qUICk}IDE}

8   Hosts in stadium having come cycling (9) LANDLORDS {L{(-l)AND(+l)L}ORDS}

12 President Brown visited by leader in Idaho introducing a boy (11) CHAIRPERSON {CHA{Id..o}R}{PER}{SON}

13 Work out ending in Korean cinema about absolute authority (9) DOMINANCE {DO}{k...aN+CINEMA}*

15 Shortened course before spot of baked dessert (8) SYLLABUB {SYLLABUs}{Ba..d}

17 Amidst work, actor uncovered organisation with extensive network (7) OCTOPUS {O{aCTOr}PUS}

19 Model again exercising. perhaps with energy, letting pressure off (7) RESHAPE {pERHAPS}*{E}

20 Siren's topless photograph linked to her missing husband (6) HOOTER {sHOOT}{hER}

22 Do without cocaine for semifinal run, say (4) HEAT cHEAT

Reference List

Children = CH, The in French = LA, John = CAN, Female = F, Editor = ED, River = R, Male = M, Afternoon = A, Old = O, Coins from Britain = PENCE, Pressure = P, Energy = E, Husband = H, Cocaine = C