No 14691, Wednesday 14 Jan 2026, Mythical

HAPPY PONGAL

Artwork by Prasanna

Solution to 26A 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

6   Members of Parliament sent back message online (5) EMAIL<=

7   Ordered tunics, extremely chic and short (8) SUCCINCT {TUNICS+ChiC}*

10 Naughty kid falling off dickey seat somehow finds precious stone (4,3) CATS EYE {diCkEY+SEAT}*

11 Knight abandoning folk and a lady? That's right! (7) ETHICAL {ETHnIC}{A}{L}

12 Greek character charges plagiarists (7) PIRATES {PI}{RATES}

13 Welcome revolutionary writer joined by supporter at church (7) EMBRACE {ME<=}{BRA}{CE}

14 Admired Rose (11) APPRECIATED [DD]

19 Some diplomat! He is truly a rationalist (7) ATHEIST [T]

21 Dismiss a small-time cheater essentially in card game (7) CANASTA {CAN}{A}{S}{T}{cheAter}

23 This could endanger perhaps when pin's finally removed (7) GRENADE {ENDAnGER}* &lit

25 Bank branch faced with strike (7) RAMPART {PART}<=>{RAM}

26 The blue ocean set frequently shown on TV (8) ?E?E?A?T ()

27 Secures loose openings, checks kitchen shutters primarily (5) LOCKS Acrostic

DOWN

1   Basmati rice cooked without soaking it methodically at first - that could be the source of digestive problems (8) BACTERIA {BAsmATi+RICE}*

2   Consumer court checks legal claim (6) CLIENT {C{LIEN}T}

3   Fools supported by school, auditor's suggested review (10) ASSESSMENT {ASSES}{S}{(~meant)MENT}

4   An extremely common issue - ultimately a problem for teenagers (4) ACNE {A}{Co..oN}{i..uE}

5   Bill joins American secret service - it has several branches? (6) ACACIA {AC}{A}{CIA}

6   Goes cycling around California to get away (6) ESCAPE {(+s)SPEE(-s)} over {CA}

8   People discourage one going out for a little alcohol (7) INHABIT INH(-i+a)ABIT

9   Fast-moving ships (5) FLEET [DD]

13 Remove vital parts from tea-service needing repair (10) EVISCERATE*

15 Most strait-laced companion for Archbishop (7) PRIMATE {PRIm}{MATE}

16 Kill injured asp seen in trench (8) DISPATCH {DI{ASP*}TCH}

17 Occasionally visited Coal Region for consignment (5) CARGO {CoAl_ReGiOn}

18 Accountant cuts up plant (6) CACTUS {CA{CUTS*}

20 Reportedly mended shoes like stilettos (6) HEELED (~healed)

22 Smart doctor gets into line deviously (6) NIMBLE {NI{MB}LE*}

24 Prepared Arabic cheese (4) EDAM<=

Reference List

Knight = N, Lady = L, Supporter = BRA, Church = CE, Small = S, Time = T, Court = CT, School = S, Bill = AC, American = A, California = CA, Accountant = CA, Doctor = MB

No 14690, Tuesday 13 Jan 2026, Gridzilla

Solution to 10D 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   High in just one drink? (6) STONED [T]

4   In retrospect, some can't set a limit with it (6) LATEST [T<=]

8   Put off by boring title song (7) DELAYED {DE{LAY}ED}

9   If nothing else, eat salt at sea (2,5) AT LEAST*

11 After sex change, became more cheerful or panicky? (10) FRIGHTENED (-b+f)FRIGHTENED 

12 Always strong at heart (4) EVER sEVERe

13 Fun subject describing how to get off a mailing list, briefly (5) UNSUB [T]

14 Got on board an old vessel to fix nets (8) EMBARKED {EMB{ARK}ED}

16 Agreed with ladies at base (3,1,4) ITS A DEAL*

18 Teaching remains unchanged, written in English or Arabic (5) TENET <=>

20 Went back a long way (4) DEEP<=

21 How to make tension permanent? (3,2,5) SET IN STONE {TENSION}* [RA]

23 One is involved in stocks and accounts (7) STORIES {STOR{1}ES}

24 Noteworthy island capital - one situated in Asia, basically (7) NICOSIA Acrostic &lit

25 Mountain in Germany having one way to go over (6) DENALI {D}{LANE<=}{1} ( Correction {D}{1+ LANE<=} - See comments)

26 Mother dear set out to save daughter (6) TERESA {dEAR+SET}*

DOWN

1   Steep cut announced (5) SHEER (~shear)

2   Fruit obtained from fields near ocean (7) ORANGES {RANGES}<=>{O} O/Ocean?

3   Charming Democrat's running and likely to be voted in (9) ELECTABLE dELECTABLE

5   After cycling, poet fed the kitty (5) ANTED (-d)ANTE(+d)D

6   Reportedly, writer's most uninterested in contacts, etc (7) EYEWEAR {(~i)EYE}{WEARy}

7   A type of foodie challenge with eats you can bank on? (5,4) TASTE TEST {EATS}* [Letter Bank]

10 Where can you possibly see Ali, as a matter of fact? (2,7) ?N ?E?L?T? 

13 Turned up to have lunch - That's natural (9) UNTREATED {UNTER{EAT}ED*}

15 Bane of one tribe at war with enemy essentially (4,5) BETE NOIRE {ONE+TRIBE+enEmy}*

17 Endless craving for drug (7) ASPIRIN ASPIRINg

19 Spooner's point? Nothing is taboo! (3,4) NOT DONE (dot none to not done)

21 Man in market supplies perfume (5) SMELL {S{M}ELL}

22 Currency of Iran collapsed, followed by agitations primarily (5) NAIRA {IRAN}*{Ag...s}

Reference List

Song = LAY, Sex = B(oy), F(emale), Germany = D, Daughter = D, Democrat = D, Man = M