The Hindu Cryptic No 77, Sunday 11 Oct 2026, Arden

Rangoli by Gowri

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ACROSS

6   Brooded over means of transport (5) MOPED [DD]

7   It's plain - giving access to auditors isn't very bright (8) OVERCAST {OVER{CA'S}T}

10 An issue dogging the country is a curse (7) MALISON {SON}<=>{MALI}

11 Left her in a day, was cheated (7) WELSHED {WE{L}{SHE}D}

12 Herb's touring America, finds something to eat (7) SAUSAGE {SA{USA}GE}

13 Fish drinking only pints - looks affected (7) FOPPISH {F{O}{PP}ISH}

14 Red arrow - I score Greens (3-8) ECO-WARRIORS*

19 Keeping animal in a haystack is part of habit (7) CASSOCK {C{ASS}OCK}

21 Reduce setting dog after dog (7) CURTAIL {CUR}{TAIL}

23 Nowadays guard becomes a guide (7) ADVISOR {AD}{VISOR}

25 King for single day (7) SOLOMON {SOLO}{MON}

26 Amusing to have a drink - this precedes the announcement (4,4) DRUM ROLL {D{RUM}ROLL}

27 Use dressing early to contain damage by burning (5) SINGE [T]

DOWN

1   Acclaim for Jobs' creation across a country (8) APPLAUSE {APPL{A}{US}E}

2   Some bypassed order, returned to port (6) ODESSA [T<=]

3   Snake oil seller will get on to eastern border (10) MOUNTEBANK {MOUNT}{E}{BANK}

4   Catcall from audience to follow all of them finally (4) MEOW [Tail Acrostic]

5   Mishit transformed these geological features (6) ISTHMI*

6   Champagne and orange juice in the bush (6) MIMOSA [DD]

8   Music company entertains various plays (7) CALYPSO {C{PLAYS*}O}

9   Oddly, in India chaos prevails in state (5) IDAHO {InDiA+cHaOs}

13 Least force applied on ship's bow (10) FORECASTLE*

15 Australian native to work with very big quantity (7) OPOSSUM {OP}{OS}{SUM}

16 Ill-gotton wealth, no middlemen involved in plant (8) SCAMMONY {SCAM}{MONeY}

17 Run before shut down of a nuclear reactor (5) SCRAM [DD]

18 Look at that cricketing shot! (6) GLANCE [DD]

20 It flows always between poles (6) SEVERN {S}{EVER}{N}

22 Enjoy the dip (6) RELISH [DD]

24 Lost a club in shambles over disturbance (4) RIOT abatTOIR<=

Reference List

Left = L, Only = O, Pint = P, Eastern = E, Work = OP, Very big = OS, Poles = S,N

No 14920, Saturday 10 October 2026, Vidwan

ACROSS

8 Dressed and scented, one who succeeds (10) DESCENDANT*

9 Going past one time (4) EXIT {EX}{I}{T}

10 Pressure on borders of Turkey! Turkey in revolt and distressed! (15) POVERTYSTRICKEN {P}{OVER}{TurkeY}+{TR} in {SICKEN} The word should be hyphenated

11 Official is bit earnest and ardent (8) STANDARD [T]

14 Upset about party position on the ground (3-3) MID-OFF {MI{DO}FF}

16 Fair fellow Peter,after robbing banks (4) FETE {F}{pETEr}

17 Large creature like gorilla with large fold (5) LAPEL {L}{APE}{L}

18 Shreds of oddly plain note (4) LINT {pLaIn NoTe}

19 Showing no interest,committed theft,mostly Identity Card! (6) STOLID {STOLe}{ID}

20 A US market index study with Judge operating on English system originally (3,5) DOW JONES {DO}{W}{J}{ON}{E}{System}

21 Progressive leaning district going to fine royal man (15) FORWARDTHINKING {FOR}{WARD}{THIN}{KING} Ditto 10A. Hyphenated word

26 Dread female attention (4) FEAR {F}{EAR}

27 British secure China's new data security technology (10) BLOCKCHAIN {B}{LOCK}{CHINA*}

DOWN

1 Extradition Office gaining nothing for Leader of America (10) DEPORTMENT {DEP(-a+O)ORTMENT

2 Hurt every head to tail (4) ACHE (-e)ACH(+E)E

3 Native American lost heart, called out dead and signed (10) INITIALLED {INuIT}{dIALLED}

4 Acts funny! Was chasing First Lady! (4) LAWS WAS*<=>Lady

5 Father mostly checking time to move (4) STIR {S{T}IRe}

6 Ice-cold lap dancing is wrong (10) PECCADILLO*

7 Mention it in church (4) CITE {C{IT}E}

12 Born fool donning most loose embroidery (10) NEEDLEWORK {NEE}{D{LEWd}ORK}

13 Cheated fellow pushed back date over suspicion of permissiveness (5) DUPED {DU(-d)E(+D)} over Permisiveness

14 My walk, this alters! (4,6) MALT WHISKY* &Lit

15 Good restricted by good, complain about new digital growth (10) FINGERNAIL {FIN{G}E}{R{N}AIL}

22 Done in open mainly (4) OVER OVERt

23 Polish unknown gem (4) RUBY {RUB}{Y}

24 Time to run to love? Yes! To Paris and Hector's place! (4) TROY {T}{R}{O}{Y}

25 Legendary goalkeeper Harry Hank (4) KAHN*

REFERENCE LIST

One=I,Time=T, Fellow=F, Large=L, Judge=J, English=E, Female=F, British=B, Nothing=0=O, Dead=D, Church=CE, Date=D, Good=G, New=N, Unknown=Y, Run=R, Love=O, Yes=Y.