No 14687, Friday 09 Jan 2026, Vidwan

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

6   Symphonic component highlighting energetic, rhythmic, zippy oscillation basically (7) SCHERZO Acrostic &lit

7   Salted element possibly miscalculated (7) CALCIUM {CALCIUM+SALTED}*=MISCALCULATED

9   A day that is universal for farewell (5) ADIEU {A}{D}{IE}{U}

10 Israel soldier in pub is senseless (9) ILLOGICAL {IL}{LO{GI}CAL}

11 Shiv accepts holding back confession of guilt (7) PECCAVI [T<=]

13 Comic's writhing is universal (6) COSMIC*

15 Hold flower for metempsychosis (13) REINCARNATION {REIN}{CARNATION}

19 Noble in short Paris top (6) ARISTO [T]

20 Go on about one suffering without a headdress fastener (7) HAIRPIN {HA{1}RP}{PaIN} Extra P in Fodder

23 Irresolute headless fool! Coach runs to the front! (9) UNCERTAIN {dUNCE}{(+r)RT(-r)AIN}

24 Chilli - large, cut and turned into a sweet fruit! (5) LICHI {CHIlLI}*

26 Wandering out north, ignoring the impairment of motor functions (7) PARESIS PAREntheSIS

27 Priest is back on cam'ra, for instance (7) ELISION {ELI}{IS<=}{ON} Def by example

DOWN

1   One exiled from Haiti, working from Bangkok or Pattaya (4) THAI HAITi*

2   Mostly capture bare human pain (6) TRAUMA {TRAp}{hUMAn}

3   Most courteous one, mostly composed about governing (9) POLITICAL {POLITe}{1}{CALm}

4   Piece of online writing by learner trapped in toilet job! (8) BLOGPOST {B{L}OG}{POST}

5   No, no! Pop CM! I can be an idiot! (10) NINCOMPOOP*

6   Small party on island, large prawns fried and served with breadcrumbs (6) SCAMPI {S}{CAMP}{I}

7   Pass a drink (4) COLA {COL}{A}

8   State and Church of England's enmity (6) MALICE {MALI}{CE}

12 Visa provides one with due attention, mostly on first day (6,4) CREDIT CARD {CREDIT}{CARe}{Day}

14 I managed, crossing line with single arm (3-6) ONE-HANDED {ONE}{HANDlED}

16 Authenticate unconventional kind of vote increase (8) NOTARISE {NOTA}{RISE}

17 Rip off Gaza without a bump after leader's eliminated (6) GAZUMP {GAZa}{bUMP}

18 Some teens ignore colours (6) ENSIGN [T]

21 Kind of decorated, stylish boy overwhelming India (6) INLAID {IN}{LA{1}D}

22 Occasionally praises for complimentary entry (4) PASS PrAiSeS

25 Hairdo considered offbeat in France initially (4) COIF Acrostic

Reference List

Day = D, Universal = U, Israel = IL, Soldier = GI, Runs = R, Large = L, North = N, Learner = L, Small = S, Island = I, Pass = COL, Church of England = CE, Line = L, Stylish = IN

No 14686, Thursday 08 Jan 2026, Pixie Dust

Solution to 20A 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

7   Difficult and incorrigible in conversation (6) KNOTTY (~naughty)

8   Nag, i.e in humour? (8) BADINAGE {NAG+IE}* [RA]

9   Sybarite professor involved in larceny (8) HEDONIST {HE{DON}IST}

10 Fate exposed Nora, Adam & Mina (6) ORDAIN {nORa}{aDAm}{mINa}

11 Restore extremely rare electronic device (8) REKINDLE {RarE}{KINDLE}

12 A company is basically monitoring prejudice (6) AGEISM {A}{GE}{IS}{Mo...g}

13 So, this annihilator unfortunately took fishes. Sad! (4,2,5)  KISS OF DEATH {KISS OF DEATH + SO}*={TOOK+FISHES+SAD} [CA]

18 Faceless pitcher follows nationalist for a bite (6) NIBBLE {kIBBLE}<=>{N}

20 One who just made a veiled promise? (8) N?W?Y?E? 

22 Petty snub (6) SLIGHT [DD]

23 Intrude bird cycling around a croc in confusion (8) ENCROACH {(-h)EN(+h)H} over {A+CROC}*

24 Hits back on curt ones angrily (8) COUNTERS*

25 Throwing son out in climax (6) ENDING sENDING

DOWN

1   At home greet amazing figure (7) INTEGER {IN}{GREET}*

2   Boil & stir bananas and cones (8) STROBILI {BOIL+STIR}*

3   Countless parts of humid, airy motors capsizing (6) MYRIAD [T<=]

4   Recommend Bill's chartered accountant to be admitted by referendum (8) ADVOCATE {AD}{VO{CA}TE}

5   Some swooned getting nervous (2,4) ON EDGE [T]

6   Opposing saga in stereotypical packaging (7) AGAINST [T]

8   Repeatedly used fibre stung one apt to drop things (13) BUTTERFINGERS {FIBRE+STUNG}* [Letter Bank]

14 Climber's second little brew packs bit of punch (8) SWEETPEA {S}{WEE}{T{Pu..h}EA}

15 Your archaic designer uplifted small hormone producers (8) THYROIDS {THY}{{DIOR<=}{S}

16 Prophet of Doom Spooner declares, "Jack's partner's shrinking!" (7) KILLJOY (~jill coy to killjoy)

17 Fall of French essence (7) DESCENT {DE}{SCENT}

19 Kicks off business enterprises, global investments & networking schemes from the beginning (6) BEGINS Acrostic

21 Wait! Cake ends bitten off evenly? Sinful! (6) WICKED {WaIt+CaKe+EnDs}

Reference List

Company = GE, Nationalist = N, Son = S, At home = IN, Bill = AD, Second = S, Small = S, Of in French = DE