No 14918, Thursday 08 Oct 2026, Pixie Dust

Solution to 14D 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   American churchman not beginning to bother about country (6) ARABIA {A}{ RAbBI}{A}

5   It's believed that swallow modelled (8) SUPPOSED {SUP}{POSED}

9   Can these men of letters recreate real Titanic? (8) LITERATI {LITERATI+CAN}*=REAL TITANIC [CA]

10 South African animal delivered brand of footwear (6) RHEBOK (~reebok)

11 Toss a coin up umpteen times for a delicious beverage? (10) CAPPUCCINO {A+COIN+UP}* [Letter Bank]

12 Leonidas regularly missing targets (4) ENDS lEoNiDaS

13 Day and night, say, Santo cycling around city Male (8) ANTONYMS {(-s)ANTO(+s)S} over {NY}{M}

16 Bogus Dame? (4-2) MADE-UP {DAME}*

17 Prompt understanding for those in hearing (6) INCITE (~in sight)

19 Doctor has decks, one makes payments here (4,4) CASH DESK*

21 Mother India from east or west (4) AMMA <=>

22 Avoid skirt (10) CIRCUMVENT [DD] 

25 Husband! Kiss and cuddle, mother's away for errand basically (3,3) EKE OUT {(-ma+e)EKE OUT}

26 Tiro Quoist protecting a member of a former confederacy (8) IROQUOIS [T]

27 Used card all over the place and struggled (8) CRUSADED*

28 Spooner suggests: "Caress Sprite for a generous package!" (3,3) FAT PAY (~pat fay to fat pay)

DOWN

2   For starters, radish and Italian tomatoes added in a yogurt-based dish (5) RAITA Acrostic

3   Some scrape elbows back-to-front and make a high-pitched sound (5) BLEEP [T<=]

4   A new year welcoming playful pandemonium (7) ANARCHY {A}{N}{ARCH}{Y}

5   Strong drinks for ghosts (7) SPIRITS [DD]

6   Represent each type (7) PERFORM {PER}{FORM}

7   Penned ode about something that is unrestricted? (4-5) OPEN-ENDED*

8   Old rum I'd so let loose in opening remarks (9) EXORDIUMS {EX}{RUM+ID+SO}*

14 One who never lets cancer stick near? (3-6) N?N-?M?K?R (Addendum - NON-SMOKER [CD] - See comments)

15 First sign of orphan Pirrip, say, with Spark? Almost magnificent! (9) OPIPAROUS {Or...n}{PIP}{AROUSe}

18 In a panic mentioned tailing former boyfriend (7) EXCITED {CITED}<=>{EX}

19 Moved, shed tears over Army Regulation (7) CARRIED {C{A}{R}RIED}

20 Disconnect appliances which you want to babyproof yourself at last (4,3) SHUT OFF Tail Acrostic

23 Clear the cellar (5) VAULT [DD]

24 Currency found in Malaysian AirAsia (5) NAIRA [T]

Reference List

American = A, About = A, Swallow = SUP, City = NY, Male = M, New  = N, Year = Y, Old = EX, Army Regulation = AR

No 14917, Wednesday 07 Oct 2026, Saral

Solution to 12D 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

7   Surplus force entering certain industrial town at first (7) SURFEIT {SUR{F}E}{In...l}{Town}

8   Agreement of a conservative on bond (6) ACCORD {A}{C}{CORD}

9   Partially scan vast painting (6) CANVAS [T]

10 Former writer, say penning new books for promoter (8) EXPONENT {EX}{PO{N}E}{NT}

11 One preparing rice blend. Fantastic! (10) INCREDIBLE {1}{RICE+BLEND}*

13 Copy part of the chorus (4) ECHO [T]

14 Primate enshrines relics finally in church area (4) APSE {AP{r...cS}E}

16 Energy and pressure throwing off Mark's garden tool (5) POWER {(+p-m)POWER}

18 Right away chopping shrub and plant (4) BUSH SHrUB*

19 Quick huge returns investing lakhs initially (4) GLIB {B{La..s}IG<=}

21 Withdrawing from skipping around institute street (10) DISTANCING {D{I}{ST}ANCING}

23 Intense anxiety of soldier in Kohima leaving occasionally (8) PARANOIA {PARA}{iN+kOhImA}

25 Deans ordering small cars (6) SEDANS {DEANS}*{S}

26 Idle talk of girl with very large drink (6) GOSSIP {G}{OS}{SIP}

27 Son left terrible bar in retreat (7) HIDEOUT {HIDEOUs}{T}

DOWN

1   Translator unwilling to go through? (8) TRAVERSE {TR}{AVERSE}

2   Confused angry supermodels ignoring short role perhaps (6,2) MESSED UP {SUPErMoDElS}*

3   Swelling troubling your eye from the beginning? (4) STYE Acrostic Semi&lit

4   Bird's blurry image outside park (6) MAGPIE {MAG{P}IE*}

5   Some craftsmen principally working next to church in defensive fort (6) SCONCE {Some}{Cr...n}{ON}{CE}

6   Stench spreading across again in gutters (8) TRENCHES {T{RE}NCHES*}

7   Cramps while cycling in country (5) SPAIN (+s)SPAIN(-s)

12 Throws dishes (5) B?W?S (Addendum - BOWLS [DD] - See comments)

15 Look at daughter's pants, primarily spoiling dress design (5,3) POLKA DOT {LOOK+AT+D+Pa..s}*}

17 Piece of music in D sharp, old composing melody at last (8) RHAPSODY {D+SHARP+O}*{m...dY}

18 Support doctor with operation theatre setting (8) BACKDROP {BACK}{DR}{OP}

20 Baker's chief to promote cook (6) BRAISE {Ba...s}{RAISE}

21 Disheartened director with an expression of apology, bows (6) DROOPS {Di...oR}{OOPS}

22 Group of players went on playing missing introduction (5) NONET {wENT+ON}*

24 Teacher hiding pain (4) ACHE [HIPS]

Reference List

Force = F, Conservative = C, Former = EX, New = N, Books = NT(New Testament), Pressure = P, Mark = M, Right = R, Institute = I, Street = ST, Small = S, Girl = G, Very large = OS, Bar = T, Translator = TR, Park = P, Church = CE, Again = RE, Daughter = D, Old = O, Operation = OP