No 14715, Thursday 12 Feb 2026, Pixie Dust

Solution to 20D has been deliberately left unsolved and is to be answered 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   Plasticine managed to protect films (6) CINEMA [T]

5   Grade repeated often, it's observed? (8) REGARDED Letter Bank

9   These drill masters go about doing tests? (8) DENTISTS {DENTISTS+GO}*=DOING TESTS [CA]

10 A new promise but not a solution (6) ANSWER {A}{N}{SWEaR}

11 Run dog in park? (10) PLAYGROUND {RUN+DOG}* [RA]

12 Prized animal caught (4) DEAR (~deer)

13 According to the Reverend, bald assistant can keep locks in place? (8) HAIRBAND (~bare hand to hairband)

16 Relative accusing stationer's missing every now and then (6) AUNTIE {AccUsiNg+sTatIonErs}

17 Brown caught sweet model escaping (6) COFFEE {C}{tOFFEE}

19 Eggs, nuts, lentils and meat perhaps delivered for adolescents (8) PROTEINS {~pro teens}

21 Politically correct leaders were overwhelmingly knowledgeable. Extraordinary! (4) WOKE Acrostic

22 Celebrity on holiday forgets about hunger (10) STARVATION {STAR}{VAcaTION}

25 Skimpy elite insiders let off (6) LITTLE {eLITe}{LET*}

26 Soon time will change feelings (8) EMOTIONS*

27 That man's describing Bill in grand captions (8) HEADINGS {HE{AD}{IN}{G}S}

28 Cuts small fruits (6) SPEARS {S}{PEARS}

DOWN

2   Guide allowed to display model (5) IDEAL [T]

3   Want to cycle around end of forest and river opening (5) ENTRY {(-y)EN(+y)Y} over {f...sT}{R}

4   Continent ignoring a large country (7) AUSTRIA AUSTRalIA

5   Dangerous seducer set free (7) RESCUED*

6   Girl managed naughty mad nana (7) GRANDMA {G}{RAN}{MAD*}

7   For a change, desire new, extremely comfortable house (9) RESIDENCE {DESIRE*}{N}{Co...lE}

8   First lady almost possessed by excitement is high (9) ELEVATION {EL{EVe}ATION}

14 Beg pardon! Associate Grace is maintaining journal (9) APOLOGISE {A}{PO{LOG}ISE}

15 Noted umpire chosen ignoring captain (9) REFLECTED {REF}{eLECTED}

18 Festival not at first Levantine (7) EASTERN {EASTER}{Not}

19 Appeals from contenders switching sides (7) PRAYERS P(-l+r)RAYERS

20 Unconcerned when a couple of Lilliputians go missing undisguised (7) O?V?O?S ()

23 Family involved in neonate birth's coming back (5) TRIBE [T<=]

24 Ultimately to somehow in the register, find titleholder (5) OWNER Tail Acrostic

Reference List

New = N, Caught = C, Model = T, About = CA, Bill = AD, Grand = G, Small = S, River = R, Girl = G, Associate = A, Sides = L,R

No 14714, Wednesday 11 Feb 2026, Saral

Solution to 14D has been deliberately left unsolved and is to be answered 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   Fantastic blue and silver back whale (6) BELUGA {BLUE}*}{AG<=}

8   Preserve excellent books penned by principal (8) MAINTAIN {M{A1}{NT}AIN}

9   Station master near subway counter for final examination (4-6) POST-MORTEM {POST}{M}{METRO<=}

10 Request from people accepted (4) PLEA [T]

11 Spanish journalist to get a round of coffee (8) ESPRESSO {ES}{PRESS}{O}

12 Two pieces of thin taro damaged windpipe (6) THROAT {THin}{TARO*}

13 Method of designing old pure diamonds (5,8) MODUS OPERANDI {O+PURE+DIAMONDS}*

16 Scientist in pressure with a measuring system mainly (6) PASCAL {P}{A}{SCALe}

18 Petitioner in court protecting wild animal (8) CLAIMANT {C{ANIMAL*}T}

21 Advertisement is abrupt and dull (4) BLUR BLURb

22 Gauge mood controlling expression of pain mostly from the heart (10) TOUCHSTONE {T{OUCH}{moSTly}ONE}

23 Killing hundred soldiers after Indian state is upset (8) MASSACRE {C}{RE}<=>{ASSAM<=}

24 Call again engineers to help rolling line (6) REDIAL {RE}{AID<=}{L}

DOWN

1   That woman with son training birds (6) HERONS {HER}{SON*}

2   Assembled plant reportedly (8) MUSTERED (~mustard)

3   Noted a tailless rodent behind fellow (6) FAMOUS {A}{MOUSe}<=>{F}

4   Spread a meal primarily consumed by weight watcher (8) DIAMETER {DI{A}{Meal}ETER}

5   State of shock from bombing US port (6) STUPOR* 

6   Some elite, rational intellectuals (8) LITERATI [T]

8   Point out crime playing in movie (6,7) MOTION PICTURE*

13 Cooking at first fresh oatmeal dish (4,4) MEAT LOAF {Fr..h+OATMEAL}*

14 Spooner says "Stop sibling in biannual event" (8) S?L?T?C? (Addendum - SOLSTICE (stall sis to solstice - See comments)

15 Worm in bump around oriental carpet (8) NEMATODE {N{E}{MAT}ODE}

17 Body right inside bush (6) CORPSE {CO{R}PSE}

19 Follow a daughter with that man again (6) ADHERE {A}{D}{HE}{RE}

20 Assassins? Yes in Germany chasing Indian often with son (6) NINJAS {JA}<=>{iNdIaN} and {S}

Reference List

Books = NT(New Testament), Master = M, Spanish = ES, Old = O, Pressure = P, Court = CT, Hundred = C, Soldiers = RE(Royal Engineers), Line = L, Fellow = F, Oriental = E, Right = R, Daughter = D, Again = RE, Yes in German = JA, Son = S