The Hindu Cryptic on Sunday No 42, Afterdark

ACROSS

9   Master taster first had salt (7) ACETATE {ACE}{Ta...r}{ATE}

10 One never gets disturbed or upset (7) UNNERVE {UN}{NEVER}*

11 Old graduate with nurse essentially appears rude (7) OBSCENE {O}{Bsc}{EN}{appEars}

12 Forces hurt in revolt at the outskirts of Sialkot on Sunday (7) THRUSTS {HURT}*{Si...oT}{S}

13 Mistress becomes quiet reportedly after boundary (9) SIDEPIECE {(~peace)PIECE}<=>{SIDE}

15 Spine showed by police officer facing ex-President (5) SPIKE {SP}{IKE}

16 Drinks a little short mostly (7) BITTERS {BIT}{TERSe}

19 Weight's one gram? Hospital treatment starts later today (7) TONIGHT{TON}{1}{G}{H}{Tr...t}

20 Flood at resort on Tanjore outskirts (5) SPATE {SPA}{Ta...rE}

21 Precedents in cricket matches to keep cover (4,5) TEST CASES {TEST{CASE}S}

25 Uproar among the poorest mostly at introductions (4-3) LEAD-INS {LEA{DIN}St}

26 Say, loser's dismal, so Randolph hugged (4-3) ALSO-RAN [T]

28 Dish with a bit of rum and dates brought by attendant (7) STEWARD {STEW}{A}{Rum}{Da..s}

29 Award received by peer was part of an organ (7) EARLOBE {OBE}<=>{EARL}

DOWN

1   Dialect found from Tampa to Islamabad (6) PATOIS [T]

2   Skilled aides reviewed in turn (6) VERSED [T<=]

3   Local men essentially are naked (4) BARE {BAR}{mEn}

4   Rector always receives excellent respect (6) REVERE {R}{EVER}{E} E/Excellent?

5   Animal skin article's small, basically teeny to the greatest extent (8) FURTHEST {FUR}{THE}{S}{Teeny}

6   In tossing coins far one makes inaudible sound (10) INFRASONIC {IN}{COINS+FAR}*

7   Cadres singularly check plaster (8) DRESSING [T]

8   Again argue about animal getting estrogen replacement therapy (8) REASSERT {RE}{ASS}{ERT}

14 New rep claimed to study preparing for medicine (10) PREMEDICAL*

16 Herb is meeting Kelvin to get a legendary serpent (8) BASILISK {BASIL}{IS}{K}

17 Say, kettle on side, baker loses the lid (3,5) TEA MAKER {TEAM}{bAKER}

18 Cancel class as a core student eloped at first (3-5) SET-ASIDE {SET}{AS}{1}{stuDent{El...d}

22 Collector touring hospital with barber perhaps (6) SHAVER {S{H}AVER}

23 Address by exciting mentors; time flew (6) SERMON MENtORS*

24 Poem from web son downloaded first (6) SONNET {NET}<=>{SON}

27 Say, browse about sea sport (4) SURF [DD]

Reference List

One = UN, Old = O, Nurese = EN(Enrolled Nurse), Sunday = S, Gram = G, Hospital = H, Award = OBE, Rector = R, Small S, About = RE, Kelvin = K, Time = T

No 14711, Saturday 07 Feb 2026, Avtaar

 ACROSS
1 Retired officer about to be welcomed into fair on the hour (6) O'CLOCK {COL C<} in {OK}
5 Women's trophy losing base - broken by kid in flannels (8) WASHRAGS {W}{ASH{RAG}eS}
9 Swine's struggle to restrain one bold mongrel (4,4) WILD BOAR {WAR} around {I}{BOLD*}
10 Stretch out after cycling, play to get silver (6) UNFOLD {(-f)UN(+F)}{OLD}
11 Doctor brings soulless classical fiddlers near the beach (7-5) CALLING CRABS {BRINGS CLAssiCAL}*

13 Cover over pool (4) LIDO {LID}{O}
14 Yankee firm cornered by famous Confederate soldier (4-4) GREY-COAT {GRE{Y}{CO}AT}
17 Maharashtrian city's drive to seize completely bare area (8) SHOLAPUR {SPUR} over {wHOLe}{A}
18 Heartless disruptive debauched senior (4) ROUE {ROgUE}
20 Entertaining compositions of mercurial Dmitriev in empty theatre (12) DIVERTIMENTI {DMITRIEV IN TheatrE}*

23 Mound in Channel Islands that is hot (6) CHILLI {C{HILL}I}
24 Solicit a report about holding of a musical (8) OPERATIC [T<]
25 In a way, I was tense, breaking till (2,2,4) AS IT WERE {I WAS T}*{ERE}
26 Rising and sinking motion in water body outside El Salvador starting to wane (6) SEESAW {SE{ES}A}{Wane}

DOWN
2 Note in message academician's left for Avtaar (4) CHIT {CH(-a+I)T}
3 Antique church in Oslo rebuilt with tips from Orlando's leading designers (3-6) OLD-SCHOOL {CH} in {OSLO Orlando's Leading Designers}*
4 Hillocks in golf links complex lacking traces of grass in front (6) KNOLLS {gOLf LiNKS}*
5 Operating out of the flat of her mom? (7,4,4) WORKING FROM HOME {OF HER MOM}* [RA]
6 Vehicle carrying container with crown of gold conveyed secretly (8) SMUGGLED {SLED} around {MUG}{Gold}
7 Remit 2 rupees covering base fee (5) REFER {R}{R} around {FEE*}
8 Sweet gruel regularly taken with a roll having hole inside (5,5) GULAB JAMUN {GrUeL}{A B{JAM}UN}

12 Couple of drunks starting to sing outside Grand Hotel giving memorable moments (10) HIGHLIGHTS {HIGH LI{G}{H}T}{Sing}
15 L'il lady in retreat entering Bond vehicle in front for tissue (9) CARTILAGE {GAL<}in {TIE}<=>{CAR}
16 Found guards put marks with holes near entrance to fuming volcano, say (8) SPITFIRE {S{PIT}{Fuming}IRE}
19 Judge standing with latest section, reasons (6) INFERS {REF<} in {IN}{S}
21 Spinning yarn about absorbing launch of clothes show (5) ECLAT {TALE<} around {Clothes}
22 Well-known singer in lounge belting out number (4) DIVA {DIVAn}

REFERENCE LIST

Officer=Col., About=C, Women=W, One=I, Over=O, Yankee=Y, Firm=CO, Area=A, Channel Islands=CI, Tense=T, Academician=A, Church=CH, Rupee=R, Grand=G, Hotel=H, Judge=REF(eree), Number=N.