The Hindu Cryptic on Sunday No 8, Sunday 15 Jun 2025, Vidwan

Artwork by Prasanna

ACROSS

6   Land most insignificant shot (6) PUNJAB {PUNy}{JAB}

8   Modern North-Africans going west to find some space for media (8) NEWSROOM {NEW}{MOORS<=}

10 Quality article on weak king, tart and Church of England (5,5) THINK PIECE {THIN}{K}{PIE}{CE}

11 Aware of some corrupt officers (2,2) UP TO [T]

12 Helping cops? Very old form of escaping! (8) AVOIDING {A{V}{O}IDING} 

15 A character in a story, say that leans towards the Right (6) ITALIC {CD}

16 Movie maker shaping her to campaign (13) CINEMATOGRAPH*

18 End of sleeve about to be the point of detachment (3-3) CUT-OFF {CUT}{OF}F (Addendum - {CU{TO}FF} - See comments)

19 Media hovering around popular conservative ruler (8) PRINCESS {PR{IN}{C}ESS}

21 This stone can be used to make hospital (4) OPAL {OPAL+THIS}*=HOSPITAL [CA]

22 Trendy food shop's supply, mostly lacks in taste (10) INDELICATE {IN}{DELI}{CATEr}

25 Attractive and aggressive badminton players? (8) SMASHERS [CD]

26 Without money, fellow fails and hurts (6) WOUNDS {WO}{fUNDS}

DOWN

1   POTUS runs away from confrontation (4) BUSH BrUSH

2   Music player at bar with island spirit (6) DJINNI {DJ}{INN}{I}

3   Most eager about opening of non-vegetarian joint (4) KNEE {K{No...n}EEn}

4   Commotion created by sibling, you and sound of laughter! (8) BROUHAHA {BRO}{U}{HAHA}

5   As per Spooner, Rob struggles to find the stage (10) FOOTLIGHTS (~loot fights to footlights)

7   Probe IIM staff about initial ordeal of a new employee (7,2,4) BAPTISM OF FIRE*

9   Chinese tree, small peg and good choice of whiskey basically (7,6) WEEPING WILLOW {WEE}{PIN}{G}{WILL}{Of}{Wh...y}

13 Seductress entraps copper wearing uniform and judge to get something that clears the air! (6,4) VACUUM PUMP {VA{C{U}U}MP}{UMP}

14 Dog comes back donning alien dress (3-2) GET-UP {PUG<=} over {ET}

17 Plan some new organic growth (8) NEOPLASM* 

20 Mess is hollow CSK getting into forced change of leadership (6) COCKUP {CO{CsK}UP}

23 No one declines King's table (4) DESK {DiES}{K}

24 Oddly this day is good (4) TIDY {ThIs+DaY}

Reference List

King = K, Church of England = CE, Very = V, Old = O, Popular = IN, Conservative = C, Trendy = IN, Without = WO, Runs = R, Fellow = F, Island = I, Good = G, Uniform = U, Judge = UMP, Alien = ET