No 14879, Saturday 22 Aug 2026, Afterdark

 ACROSS
8 A rule introduced in eatery for getting a pitcher (6) CARAFE {C{A}{R}AFE}

9 Eater was supplied brine, perhaps (8) SEAWATER*
10 Shortly, issue will be all over head-office (4) SOON {SO{Office}N}
11 Relative's action is engaging; first song better in second part (10) STEPSISTER {STEP}{Song{IS}{betTER}
12 Confusion after he hid a last letter (4) HAZE {H{A}{Z}E}
13 Lot of kind people entering a street (10) ASSORTMENT {SORT}{MEN} in {A}{ST}
17 Kept time post noon to get gas (4) NEON {EON}<=>{N}
18 Stupid, caught robbing primarily, idiot (5) CRASS {C}{Robbing}{ASS}
19 Bowled in pitch to get lift, say (1-3) T-BAR {T{B}AR}

21 Wealthy global travellers seen with black dogs, say (3-7) JET-SETTERS {JET}{SETTERS}
23 Unusual file type extracted in the beginning (4) RARE {RAR}{Extracted}
24 Deal gone wrong in prison, branch siphoned 50% of device to hold lights (10) CANDELABRA {DEAL*}in {CAN}{BRAnch}

28 Bankrupt Penny gathering ducks to have dinner at the end (4) POOR {P}{O}{O}{dinneR}
29 Foolishly, use cell at the beginning of show if ignorant (8) CLUELESS {USE CELL*}{Show}
30 Outstanding person in York loses head, breaks college equipment at the entrance and runs (6) CORKER {yORK} in {College Equipment}+R

DOWN
1 Drunk sailor aboard, argues frequently leading to disruption (8) SABOTAGE {S{AB}OT}{ArGuEs}
2 Game's rule; point 10 is covering advantage essentially (4,6) LAWN TENNIS {LAW}{N}{TEN{advaNtage}{IS}
3 No charge included in removing parasite from pet, perhaps (7,3) PERSIAN CAT {NC} in {PARASITE*}

4 Lewis Lennox is detaining man, say (4) ISLE [T]
5 Girl tumbler loses cap (4) LASS {gLASS}
6 According to sources, many anarchists support seething crowd (4) MASS [Acrostic]
7 Humble democrat remains oddly away (6) DEMEAN {DEM}{rEmAiN}
14 Son managed to withdraw Euros and wire (5) SNARE {S}{RAN<}{E}
15 Opposition is surrounded by others, one apprehends alderman ultimately (10) RESISTANCE {RES{IS}T}{A{aldermaN}CE}
16 Say, racing to promoters, to redeem debenture ultimately and consolidate (10) MOTORSPORT {TO PROMOTeRS}*

20 Arrive hurriedly to take CO into protection, perhaps (3,5) AIR COVER {ARRIVE}* around {CO}
22 St. Helena blenders seized with warrant (6) ENABLE [T]
25 Sketched a water droplet right inside (4) DREW {D{R}EW}
26 Made up a story and ushered first person inside (4) LIED {L{I}ED}
27 Former president of America spotted in Belize (4) BUSH [DD] B(US)H see comments

REFERENCE LIST

Rule=R, Street=ST, Noon=N, Caught=C, Bowled=B, Penny=P, Runs=R, Sailor=AB, N o Charge=NC, Democrat=DEM, Son=S, Euros=E, One=Ace, Right=R, First Person=I.

No 14878, Friday 21 Aug 2026, Afterdark

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ACROSS

9   Serving hot tray to Husky (7) THROATY*

10 Breaks in as a theologian above talks without substance (7) IRRUPTS {1}{RR}{UP}{TalkS}

11 Cutback on left axis, try with new figure (7) POLYGON {LOP<=}{Y}{GO}{N}

12 Discover a new depth inside and primarily look for a fish (4,3) SAND EEL {S{A}{N}{D}EE}{Look}

13 Worker seen with nurse at a leading lobotomist before birth (9) ANTENATAL {ANT}{EN}{AT}{A}{Lo...t}

15 Till last three characters return, it will be dark (5) UNLIT {UN(TIL<=)}

16 Platelayer in Central Railway, takes a new name after conversion (7) LINEMAN {raiLway}{1}{N+NAME}*

19 Improved employees in Enforcement Directorate executed heartlessly (7) EMENDED {E{MEN}D}{Ex...eD}

20 Free at gunpoint, untied, got out (5) UNPIN gUNPoINt

21 Rural area in two states (2-7) UP-COUNTRY {UP}{COUNTRY}

25 Relative from the father's side is acting outside a building (7) AGNATIC {AGN{A}TIC*}

26 Ultimately got wife to come to ball and advance to dance (3-4) TWO-STEP {goT}{W}{O}{STEP}

28 Leh party in which Regina went after Victor serving French port (2,5) LE HAVRE {LEH}{(-r)AV(+r)RE}

29 Revive used pair daughter discarded, with reconstruction (7) UPRAISE {USEd+PAIR}*

DOWN

1   Ideal place is Andaman & Nicobar perhaps with work at mainland frequently (6) UTOPIA {UT}{OP}{maInlAnd}

2   Jewellery concealed in the farm letterbox (6) ARMLET [T]

3   Husband and short girl put to death (4) HANG {H}{ANd}{G}

4   Young swan in captivity gutted, good catch (6) CYGNET {Ca...tY}{G}{NET}

5   Break up? Settle after husband finally shares inholdings in the suburbs (8) DISSOLVE {SOLVE}<=>{h...nD}{In...gS} What's the role of 'shares'?

6   Mostly vans are out to get redesigned with a new style of decoration (3,7) ART NOUVEAU {VANs+ARE+OUT}* Second U from?

7   Requested to include toll in copy before first despatch (8) APPEALED {AP}PEAL|E}{De...h}

8   Isobel's broke, 50% lost, behind schedule, deserted and ostracized (8) ISOLATED {ISObel}{LATE}{D}

14 I've backed Tom in a neutral arrangement to be appointed to office (10) NOMINATIVE {IVE}<=>{TOM+IN+A+N}*

16 Sterling gold stored initially in locked dogwood can (8) LAUDABLE {Lo...d}{AU}{Do...d}{ABLE}

17 The writer spiralled after new drug as a remedy for grief (8) NEPENTHE {THE}<=>{PEN} after{N}{E}}

18 Aunts circle around church elders primarily in dances (8) NAUTCHES {NAUT{CH}{El...s}S*}

22 Drawback after CT caught a cord (6) CATGUT {TUG<=}<=>{C{A}T}

23 Beginning to dress (ignoring recipe) potato (6) TATTIE {To}{ATTIrE}

24 Youth leader at institute starting to prepare to go and express elation (6) YIPPEE {Yo..h}{I}{Pr...e}{PEE}

27 Essentially programme belongs to us (4) OURS cOURSe

Reference List

Theologian = RR, Left axis = Y, New = N, Depth = D, Nurse = EN(Enrolled Nurse), Wife = W, Regina = R, Victor = V, Daughter = D, Husband = H, Girl = G, Good = G, Deserted = D, Neutral = N, Drug = E, Church = CH, Recipe = R, To go = PEE