Thursday, 12 February 2026

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

Wednesday, 11 February 2026

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