The Sunday Crossword No 73, Sunday 13 Sep 2026, Incognito

Three answers per commenter till 4 PM (Annotations Compulsory)

Please submit all your answers in one comment.

(COMMENTS ENTERED WITH LESS THAN THREE ANSWERS/ANNOTATIONS WILL BE DELETED WITHOUT NOTICE, UNLESS THE COMMENTER SPECIFIES THAT IT IS A COMPENSATION FOR A REPEAT)

ACROSS

1   Reducing trimming of feathers (7,4)

9   Extra-terrestrial and Neil Armstrong initially returned (5)

10 Safe after Truman releases an elephant (9)

11 Plot criminal’s crime (10)

12 I’m leaving Tim with old female at youth centre to get food (4)

13 Claw found in hospital once (5)

15 Woo with song and dance, perhaps, Ms. Williams, accompanied by musical notes (8)

17 Organisation of brat and punk becomes insolvent (8)

19 Violently step on small cockroaches, for example (5)

22 Destructive flier from Cambridge destroyed in absence of Edgar (4)

23 Sam returned with criminal carrying recipe for cheese (10)

26 What Adam was to Eve? One of the ship’s crew! (5,4)

27 Insertion from Indiana group (5)

28 Some savage tribals may be recruiters (4-7)

DOWN

1   Before noon, vehicle goes around one pile of stones (5)

2   Pet in Reno produces device to cut into can (3,6)

3   Trainee flier follows Indian Navy (6)

4   University in Indian State with revolutionary water colour painting (7)

5   Loves Pastor’s expression of dismay (4)

6   Loans ain’t arranged for citizens (9)

7   Lucky emblem from master with highlander (6)

8   Greek river bird (6)

14 Boy held ring manufactured for famous flier (9)

16 Skill displayed by old Peter is extraordinary (9)

17 What the lawyer was hoping to get in the clothing department? (6)

18 A harp designed with love by husband for ruler (7)

20 Yes... In Spain, seat is modified for afternoon nap (6)

21 Show and hide? (6)

24 I leave oasis and import model kilns (5)

25 Mountain insect returned after end of June (4)

No 14897, Saturday 12 Sep 2026, Bruno

 ACROSS
1 Farmer often plays around lake in a cheery way (10) PLEASANTLY {P{L}EASANT}{pLaYs}
6 Catch no-good groups of criminals, relapsing (4) SNAG {GANgS<}
9 Most VIPs were wearing hot green for advanced showing (10) PREVIEWING {VIPs WERE}*{G} around {IN}
10 Fish enthusiast reeling second catch (4) TUNA {NUT<}{cAtch}

12 Plain curiosity, when curtailed, can become showy (12) MERETRICIOUS {MERE}{CURIOSITy}*
15 Homeless person's fine eventually, after overcoming bit of overdose (7) FLOATER {F}{LATER} around {Overdose}
16 Modern financial institution - one flirting with disqualification over 1000 dollars! (7) NEOBANK {ONE*}{BAN}{K}
17 Whip bit of egg-white into foam (7) LEATHER {L{Egg-white}ATHER}
19 Element's addition while recovering takes edge off pain (7) SULPHUR {PLUS<}{HURt}

20 Firm and strong bottoms seen on skilled sportsmen basically - you could place cups on them (6,6) COFFEE TABLES {CO}{F}{FEET}{ABLE}{Sportsmen} 

23 Word for stuff announced internally (4) NOUN [HIPS]
24 Slip into neglect that requires less energy (5,5) STRIP LIGHT {TRIP} in {SLIGHT}

25 Tech overlords hiding answer (4) ECHO [T]
26 Place beyond reality where The Lord somehow accepts without resistance (10)  OTHER WORLD {THE LORD}* around {WO R}

DOWN
1 Tube of Epipen unwrapped (4) PIPE ePIPEn
2 Uninterrupted function finished early (4) EVEN {EVENt}
3 Love letter composed with this very often gets thrown out for sharp item (8,4) STILETTO HEEL {LOvE+LETTEr+THIS}*

4 We return to family finally, visiting, around this occasion (3,4) NEW YEAR  {WE<}{familY} in {NEAR} Semi &Lit
5 Avoiding AI, I created unoriginal exercise (4,3) LONG RUN {UNORiGiNaL}*
7 Foreign currency's course blocked by New York? That can make your nerves weak... (10) NEUROPATHY {EURO}{PATH} in NY
8 Artist at Russia's interior took risk, composed within limits of glasnost - that could leave one somewhat exposed (5,5) GRASS SKIRT {RA}{ruSSia}{RISK*}in {GlassnosT}

11 Possible friend's distant after husband interrupted and dropped in - very weird, to begin with (12) SCHOOLFELLOW {C{H}OOL}{FELL}in {SO}+Weird
13 Lady joining workplace next to new church and liquor store (3-7) OFF-LICENCE {L}in {OFFICE}+{N}{CE}
14 Attack overwhelming beleaguered ally of King's one of five in a row (5,5) ROYAL FLUSH {RUSH} around {ALLY OF}*

18 Errant cast can't often make noise (3-1-3) RAT-A-TAT {eRrAnT cAsT cAnT} 
19 Posh boy wearing slender cap from Europe's grand (7) SUBLIME {S{U}{B}LIM}{Europe}
21 Area magazine boosted culture (4) AGAR {A}{RAG<}

22 Boss' investigation was cut short (4) STUD {STUDy}

Reference List

Lake=L, Good=G, Hot=In, Green=G, Fine=F, 1000 dollars=K, Firm=Co (Company), Strong=F (Fortissmo), Without=WO, Resistance=R, Love=O, Husband=H, Lady=L, Posh=U, Boy=B, Area=A.