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

Special, Sunday 19 Jul 2026, K Koteswar Rao

Three answers per commenter till 6 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)

Grid will be updated with solutions after 8 PM.

Enjoy.