No 14811, Thursday 04 Jun 2026, Arden

Solution to 19D 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   Daydream with a list Catherine prepared (6,2,3,3) CASTLE IN THE AIR*

10 Romeo wears ring that is expensive (5) PEARL {PEA{R}L}

11 Newly made to inculcate American virtue - a duty that's proportionate (2,7) AD VALOREM {MADE}* over {VALOR}

12 One eating fruit, time for some food (7) ALIMENT {A{LIME}N}{T}

13 Able to stop the boys' return - it's a disgrace (7) SCANDAL {CAN} in {LADS<=}

14 Money for a French rocket almost rejected (5) NAIRA ARIANe<=

16 Dirty job right inside - one strayed (9) MEANDERED {MEAN}{DE{R}ED}

19 Suspect lets alarm go off (5,1,3) SMELL A RAT*

20 Poor creature loses wicket to throw it all up (5) RETCH wRETCH

22 Invested in final round, one day later (7) ENDOWED {END}{O}{WED} What's the role of 'later'?

25 Tie in writing charms (7) MASCOTS {M{ASCOT}S}

27 Bad in law to accept - in other words, it is ambush (3,2,4) LIE IN WAIT {IN+LAW}* over {IE} with {IT}

28 In Kenya, lakes are home to this animal (5) NYALA [T]

29 Amass gold - times change and it becomes the most sought after thing (10,4) COLLECTORS ITEM {COLLECT}{OR}{TIMES*}

DOWN

2   Ticks off with this (9) ACARICIDE [GK] (Addendum - {ACARI}{CIDE}&lit - See comments)

3   It shows approximate inner diameter of a hat (5) TILDE {TIL{D}E}

4   Glass essentially goes in far back like rubber (9) ELASTOMER {gLASs} in {REMOTE<=}

5   In a vestment you can see parts of the church (5) NAVES [T]

6   Dutch also shout outside (9) HOLLANDER {HOLL{AND}ER}

7   Bitter, free undercurrent (5) ACRID {RID}<=>{AC}

8   Animal sacrificed - went on and on (7) RAMBLED {RAM}{BLED}

9   Twist well, get right home (6) SPRAIN {SP{R}A}{IN}

15 A weapon receives modest grant (9) ALLOWANCE {A}{L{LOW}{ANCE}

17 Adjust input schedule on the cockpit instrument (9) ALTIMETER {AL{TIME}TER}

18 Reason to restrict booze consumption (9) RATIONALE {RATION}{ALE} Consumption is superfluous

19 Back in the centre carrying pound of varnish (7) S?E?L?C (Addendum - SHELLAC {bACk}<=>{SHELL}- See comments)

21 Old cavalryman - hard to be one in Soviet Union (6) HUSSAR {H}{USS{A}R}

23 Live long with crude rising (5) DWELL {L}{LEWD}<=

24 It's foolish without reading the outline (5) DRAFT {D{R}AFT}

26 Part of Egypt somewhat soars in air (5) SINAI [T]

Reference List

Romeo = R, Time = T, Right = R, Wicket = W, Writing = MS(Manuscript), Gold = OR, Diameter = D, Home = IN, Hard = H, Long = L, Reading = R

No 14810, Wednesday 03 Jun 2026, Arden

Solution to 1A 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   Wait around to get in shortly into a U.S. city (7) W?C?I?A (Addendum - WICHITA {WI{CHIc}TA*})

5   Perceptible by touch - do wear a hat (7) TACTILE {T{ACT}ILE} 

9   Top restaurant opens again - starts to cook (5) ROAST Acrostic

10 Bell tower affected by a river (9) CAMPANILE {CAMP}{A}{NILE}

11 Star in topless trailer, on the beach (9) AMPERSAND {cAMPER}{SAND} Incorrect definition

12 Air you get here is bottled (5) ETHER [T]

13 Excited before midnight (4) AGOG {AGO}{niGht}

15 Happy to get permit for this breed of cattle (8) GALLOWAY {G{ALLOW}AY}

18 Cut down on accommodation - that wasn't funny (4,4) FELL FLAT {FELL}{FLAT}

19 Poet shuns cocktail for food (4) EATS kEATS

22 European city provides 50% of things you need to live... (5) ESSEN ESSENtials

24 ..Scent of an odd German in the neighbouring country (9) FRAGRANCE {FRA{GeRmAn}CE}

26 Making things hard for girl in London district (9) ANNEALING {ANN}{EALING}

27 Skip first day in Elon Musk's old work place (5) DODGE {DO{Day}GE}

28 Most unyielding - company set to change (7) FIRMEST {FIRM}{SET*}

29 One thrown out of a game (7) CANASTA {C{AN}AST}{A} 

 

DOWN

1   Previously a spy agency came up in the capital (6) WARSAW {WAS}{RAW}<=

2   Amazing change - invite a politician for a celebratory drink... (9) CHAMPAGNE {CH{A}{MP}AGNE*}

3   ...meanwhile, I'm off to Bury (5) INTER INTERim

4   Port in Alaska sees a variation between sides (9) ARCHANGEL {A}{R}{CHANGE}{L}

5   Intimidate if one is shy (5) TIMID [HIPS] Hidden, Indicator missing?

6   Tea for each one and one for shepherd (9) CHAPERONE {CHA}{PER}{ONE}

7   Exposed fire risk - hard for a European (5) IRISH {fIRe}{rISk}{H}

8   Rulers seem different including the queen (6) EMEERS {EME{ER}S*}

14 Plant - An evergreen caught in a storm (9) GALINGALE {G{A}{LING}ALE}

16 The garlic makes you feel sleepy (9) LETHARGIC*

17 Law on working inside with radioactive elements (9) ACTINIDES {ACT}{INSIDE}*

20 Benefit the fat man inside to rise (6) BEHALF {FLA{HE}B}<=

21 Categories of information on time (6) GENERA {GEN}{ERA}

23 Instruments to scan sea floor, ultimately (5) SONAR [Tail Acrostic] Semi&lit

24 Stone or fine cotton? (5) FLINT {F}{LINT}

25 Noble gas symbolically remains same without trouble (5) RADON {R{ADO}N}

Reference List

Sides = R,L, Tea = CHA, Hard = H, Queen = ER, Information = GEN, Fine = F