No 14565, Saturday 16 August 2025, Afterdark

Rangoli by Gowri

Artwork by Prasanna

ACROSS

8 Spartan prophet touring Vatican with energy (6) SEVERE {SE{V}ER}{E}
9 In a way, I've need to collect challan first as proof (8) EVIDENCE {I'VE NEED}* around {Challan}
10 Karma is nothing; trifle? Gutted (4) FATE {FA}{TriflE}
11 Distant viewing devices made of steel carried by a policeman at Spain (10) TELESCOPES {STEEL}*{COP}{ES}

12 Announced a small subsidy (4) SAID {S}{AID}
13 Pleasure to mention people in text, first off (10) EXCITEMENT {tEX{CITE}{MEN}T} 
17 Really, if the tail's cut short on book, it will denote a word of action (4) VERB {VERy}{B}
18 Remove eaters, primarily they should be out in a heap (5) ERASE {EAtERS}*
19 Firm's time has value (4) COST {CO'S}{T}
21 Say, biologists work on insects, its characters (10) SCIENTISTS*
23 Neglect Naomi, try somewhat (4) OMIT [T]
24 Popular clues? Fuss about collection (10) SUCCESSFUL {CLUES FUSS C}*
28 Say, Jack has vehicle at the end of the road (4) CARD {CAR}{roaD}
29 Edward sweeps all around part of the houses (8) BEDROOMS {B{ED}ROOMS}
30 Move once, other way round, primarily decide to stretch (6) EXPAND {PAN}<=>{EX}+{Decide}

DOWN
1 Isolated new apes to assess (8) SEPARATE {APES}*{RATE}
2 Honest deal penned to collect billions, nothing new to be confused (10) DEPENDABLE {DEAL PENnED}* around {B}
3 Payment to community (10) SETTLEMENT [DD]
4 Narrate well, avoid introduction, begin on time (4) TELL{wELL}<=>{T}
5 Poses with appeal in ship (4) SITS {S{IT}S}
6 Raze road in the middle, make it nothing (4) ZERO [T]
7 Blind //guard (6) SCREEN [DD]
14 Refuses to talk on marine creatures (5) CLAMS [DD]

15 In their normal condition, on vessel met, assembled around hospital (10) THEMSELVES {VESSEL MET}* around {H}
16 Scientific device created crime scoop (10) MICROSCOPE*

20 Prison band is lively (8) STIRRING {STIR}{RING}
22 Auditor practices principles (6) CAUSES {CA}{USES}
25 My daughter's bond (4) CORD {COR}{D}
26 Sleet is special at present (4) SNOW {S}{NOW}
27 Swimmer's provided return to keep quiet (4) FISH {IF<}{SH}

REFERENCE LIST

Vatican=V, Energy=E, Nothing=FA(Fanny Adams), Spain=ES, Small=S, Book=B, Time=T, About=C, Edward=Ed, Once=Ex, Billions=B, (Sex)Appeal=It, Ship=SS, Hospital=H, Auditor=CA(Charted Accountant), My(!)=Cor, Special=S, Quiet=Sh.