No 14851, Tuesday 21 Jul 2026, Dr. X

Solution to 7D has been deliberately left unsolved and is to be answered only 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   Go back to steal from oriental closet (8) WARDROBE {DRAW<=}{ROB}{E}

5   Problem mastering some subsidiary propositions (6) LEMMAS [T]

10 Shame about member getting absolute power (7) STAMINA {STA{M}IN}{A}

11 Encircle tortuous vein on radius (7) ENVIRON {VEIN+ON+R}*

12 Prince captivated by English show about fencing swords (5) EPEES {E}{P}{SEE<=}

 13 Flying insect going around a set is bothering persistently (7,2) GNAWING AT {GN{A}{WING}AT}

14 Little chance of finishing soon? Sigh! (2,3,2,5)  NO END IN SIGHT {SIGHt} Rebus

18 Pair agree on going astray with many in this? (4,8) OPEN MARRIAGE {PAIR+AGREE+ON+M}* Semi&lit

21 European star exercising after knocking back a drink in old Greek gymnasium (9) PALAESTRA {E}{STAR*}<=>{A LAP<=}

23 Greek character overwhelmed by viral pharyngitis (5) ALPHA [T]

24 Ran haphazardly during commotion in tempest (7) TORNADO {TO{RAN*}DO}

25 Toughening popular band consuming drugs at centre (7) INURING {IN}{drUgs}{RING}

26 Shelves with large borders (6) LEDGES {L}{EDGES}

27 Introduced new resident (8) INSERTED*

DOWN

1   Hunk hosting female freshened up (6) WASHED {WA{SHE}D}

2   Rise to embrace extremely desirable university lecturer (6) READER {REA{De...lE}R}

3   Managed to save one male crossing southern hill in deluge (9) RAINSTORM {RA{1}N}{M} over {S}{TOR}

4   Bohemian writers in club consuming ecstasy and dope are turning into rebels (4,10) BEAT GENERATION {B{E}AT}{GEN}{ARE<=}{INTO*}

6   Concluding stanza of poem by novice about leaving college (5) ENVOI NOVIcE*

7   Tense and quiet, crushed by additional loan (8) ?O?T?A?E (Addendum - MORTGAGE  {T}{GAG} in {MORE} - See comments)

8   Disinfect article with iodine in case (8) SANITATE {S{AN}{I}TATE}

9   Restoration of extremely ramshackle house outside Long Island (14) REHABILITATION {Ra...lE}{HABI{LI}TATION}

15 Distinctive mark of genius, art's remarkable (9) SIGNATURE*

16 Lots with a hip fracture here? (8) HOSPITAL {LOTS+A+HIP}* &lit

17 Sophisticated lady starts to laugh, becoming rather enthralled by marijuana (4-4) WELL-BRED {L}{La..h}{Be...g}{Ra...r} in {WEED}

19 Run special issue (6) SPRINT {S}{PRINT}

20 Bashed group grabbing girl on base (6) BANGED {BAN{G}{E}D}

22 Pick up rumour about onset of epidemic (5) ELATE {TALE<=}{Ep...c}

Reference List

Oriental = E, Member = M, Absolute = A, Radius = R, Prince = P, English = E, Many = M, European = E, Popular = IN, Large = L, Male = M, Southern = S, Hill = TOR, Ecstasy = E, College = C, Tense = T, Lady = L, Special = S, Girl = G, Base = E

No 14850, Monday 20 Jul 2026, Dr. X

Solution to 21D has been deliberately left unsolved and is to be answered only 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   One who observes husband tottering, overwhelmed by drink (8) BEHOLDER {BE{H}{OLD}ER}

5   Prodigy beginning to work on developing drone (6) WONDER {Work}{DRONE}*

10 View small insect going around lake (5) SLANT {S}{L}{ANT}

11 Fixed mindset is leading to diffidence (9) TIMIDNESS*

12 Without any limitations, like loafers? (2,7,8) (Continued in 17 Down) NO STRINGS ATTACHED [C&DD]

13 Wants fine food and more rum (5) ODDER fODDER

14 Fold extremely large transversely ribbed fabric (6) FAILLE {FAIL}{LargE}

15 Satisfy upper-class female with fine diamonds after a little spat (7) SUFFICE {U}{F}{F}{ICE}<=>{Spat}

18 Little people desire to cut cake in retreat (7) TITCHES {ITCH} in {SET<=}

20 Envies model surrounded by men (6) COVETS {COVE{T}S}

22 American guy touring Malta's capital (5) AMMAN {A}{Ma..a}{MAN}

24 Possibly bit nervous going topless? That's obvious (9) OBTRUSIVE {BIT+nERVOUS}*

25 Clumsy and daft, he is beginning to make blunders (3-6) HAM-FISTED {DAFT+HE+IS+Make}*

26 Glide over snow around an Asian city (5) IKSAN {SKI<=}{AN}

27 Model is turning on girl in retreat (6) DESIGN {DE{IS<=}{G}N} 

28 Homeless feline lately wandering around area behind college (5,3) ALLEY CAT {LATELY}* over {A}<=>{C}

DOWN

1   Mounting gossip about immorality in building (6) BASING {GAB<=} over {SIN}

2   Democrat leading in preliminary contest getting early advantage (4,5) HEAD START {D}{STAR} in {HEAT}

3   Creative way of solving problems after a fine leader wins polls at centre (7,8) LATERAL THINKING {LATER}{A}{THIN}{KING} over {poLls}

4   President entering to accept treaty (7) ENTENTE [T]

6   Weird nuts in USA vote for likely winner (4-2,9) ODDS-ON FAVOURITE {ODD}{IN+USA+VOTE+FOR}*

7   Fear's gone after taking therapy essentially (5) DREAD {D{theRapy}EAD}

8   Cool being engaged (8) RESERVED [DD]

9   One overwhelmed by onset of enteric disorder is vomiting (6) EMESIS {1} in {En...c}{MESS}

16 Perhaps, ricin isn't genuine (9) INTRINSIC*

17 See 12 Across

19 Small bananas becoming mottled (6) SPOTTY {S}{POTTY}

20 Scoundrel having sex with English lady in castle (7) CITADEL {C{IT}AD}{E}{L}

21 Plant in compound outside a posh bar (6) ?E?N?T (Addendum - PEANUT {PEAN}{U}{T} - See comments)

23 Mother's taking a little pill for viral infection (5) MUMPS {MUM{Pill}S}

Reference List

Husband = H, Small = S, Lake = L, Fine = F, Upper class = U, Female = F, Diamonds = ICE, Model = T, Girl = G, Area = A, College = C, Democrat = D, Sex = IT, English = E, Lady = L, Posh = U, Bar = T