No 14869, Tuesday 11 Aug 2026, Arden

Solution to 21D has been deliberately left unsolved and is to be answered only 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   Run over chasing main pirate (3,4) SEA WOLF {FLOW<=}<=>{SEA}

5   Ran around carrying oil through a cloud of gas and dust (7) NEBULAR {RA{LUBE}N}<= Wordplay leads to {RAN<=} over {LUBE}

9   In the plan aims to accommodate a verandah (5) LANAI [T]

10 On record it is a complaint (9) ENTERITIS {ENTER}{IT}{IS}

11 In an extremely wretched way, getting through with modest investment in a year (9) ABYSMALLY {BY}{SMALL} in {A}{Y} 

12 Panic on seeing some of these figures (5) ICONS [T]

13 Reward if leader goes for duty (4) ONUS bONUS

15 Worries about touring team's ID badges (4,4) NAME TAGS {N{TEAM*}AGS}

18 Passionate check over macho males (8) VEHEMENT {VE{HE MEN}T}

19 Animal brought back in a rush (4) REED<=

22 True male specialty (5) REALM {REAL}{M}

24 Sadness on coping with any misbehaviour (9) POIGNANCY {COPING+ANY}*

26 Original art, new nation follows American actor (9) TARANTINO {ART*}{NATION*}

27 Love putting our middle name in front (5) AMOUR {OUR}<=>{nAMe}

28 Sunday worship helps farmers (7) SPRAYER {S}{PRAYER}

29 Refuse to return and receive attention one longed for (7) YEARNED {DENY<=} over {EAR}

DOWN

1   Extremely scary, left in front amid all the trees (6) SYLVAN {ScarY}{L}{VAN}

2   Anyone can get agitated and show displeasure (9) ANNOYANCE*

3   Number starts with one — payment is usually monthly (5) OPIUM Acrostic

4   Independent cover up inland (9) FREELANCE {FR{LEE<=}ANCE}

5   Trendy Times in denial (5) NATTY {NA{T}{T}Y}

6   Counsel picks up knight in exchange (9) BARRISTER {BAR{SIR<=}TER}

7   Besotted bachelor goes for a game of chance (5) LOTTO bLOTTO

8   Counter is found among others (6) RESIST {RES{IS}T}

14 First thing needed for business growth (4,5) SEED MONEY [CD]

16 Many houses fit only for marriage (9) MATRIMONY {MA{TRIM}{O}NY}

17 Party with Trump as an apprentice (9) GREENHORN {GREEN}{HORN}

20 Bottom string for instrument picked up for free (6) GRATIS {s...nG}{SITAR<=}

21 Happy birthday, missing at compound (6) ?Y?R?D ()

23 Dry outside on the clothesline (5) AIRER {AI{RE}R}

24 He assisted the abbot earlier (5) PRIOR [DD]

25 In Tuscany, a large animal is found (5) NYALA [T]

Reference List

Year = Y, Male = M, Sunday = S, Left = L, in front = VAN, Time = T, Bachelor = B, Only = O, On = RE

No 14868, Monday 10 Aug 2026, Crossant

Solution to 18D has been deliberately left unsolved and is to be answered only 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

6   Move forward suddenly with energy after a breather (5) LUNGE {E}<=>{LUNG}

7   Drunk giant beating one in a suit (8) LITIGANT {LIT}{GIANT*}

10 Sweet simpleton about to lose (7) GUMDROP {MUG<=}{DROP}

11 Lots following latest in protein food (7) NOODLES {OODLES}<=>{p...iN}

12 Salad vegetable you eat finally instead of essentially sweet items seen often on the table (7) CUTLERY C(-e+u+t)UTLERY

13 Figure study about past is boring (7) DECAGON {DE{C}{AGO}N}

14 Need tip from proven inside source (11) DEPRIVATION {DE{Pr...n}RIVATION}

19 Open dancing club on Western border of Kentucky (7) UNBLOCK {CLUB+ON}*{Ke...y}

21 Starmer finally dismissed in England - not unexpected (7) ROUTINE {s...eR}{OUT}{IN}{E}

23 Fancy cloak worn by wealthy mostly (7) CAPRICE {CAP{RICh}E}

25 Poor cautious husband overcome by panic in the middle (7) NEEDFUL (-h+n)NEEDFUL

26 Not worried about a judge concealing source of earnings? (8) CAREFREE {C}{A}{REFeREE}

27 Firm promoted clothing - Indo-Western primarily (5) SOLID {SOL{In...n}D}

DOWN

1   Energetic Team India playing without inhibition from the beginning (8) ANIMATED {TEAM+iNDIA}*

2   Rule about replacing girl in class (6) DECREE DE(-g+c)CREE

3   Kid's storage device? (6,4) FLOPPY DISK {KIDS}* [RA] To think that present day kids have never seen one of these. I stuck 5 of them together and made a Pen stand!!

4   Something done to attract attention mostly causes shock (4) STUN STUNt

5   Do this when fully charged? (6) UNPLUG [CD]

6   On a vacant country estate (6) LEGACY {LEG}{A}{Co...rY}

8   Good study about origin of curry - hot indian dish (7) GNOCCHI {G}{CON<=}{Cu..y}{H}{I}

9   Dreaming, wasting money - what addicts are often doing (5) USING mUSING

13 Look-alike of late Queen outside club (4,6) DEAD RINGER {DEAD}{ER} over {RING}

15 Word for one, included in MS Office finally (7) PROMISE {PRO}{M{1}S}{o...cE}

16 Trouble with data after new digital enhancement tool (4,4) NAIL FILE {AIL}{FILE}<=>{N}

17 Left group starting late for midday meal (5) LUNCH {L}{bUNCH}

18 Norwegian perhaps went ahead and settled (6) ?E?L?D (Addendum - SEALED {SEA}{LED} - See comments))

20 Lesser action near entrance of popular place (2-4) BY-PLAY {BY}{Po...r}{LAY}

22 Apprehension about Europeans losing exports essentially (6) UNEASE EUropEANS*

24 Uncovered vehicle carrying dead body and organs (4) EARS hEARSe

Reference List

Energy = E, Drunk = LIT, About = C, England = E, Husband = H, Girl = G, Good = G, Hot = H, Indian = I, Money = M, Queen = ER, New = N, Left = L