The Hindu Cryptic on Sunday No 18, Sunday 24 Aug 2025, Incognito

ACROSS

8   Setter and lieutenant convert solid into liquid by application of heat (4) MELT {ME}{LT}

9   Counterfeit for giving exchange initially (5) FORGE {FOR}{Gi...g}{Ex...e}

10 Sketch doctor with a woman (4) DRAW {DR}{A}{W}

11 Stick advertisement at this place (6) ADHERE {AD}{HERE}

12 US cat lay writhing in hospital department (8) CASUALTY*

13 Extraordinary ace tests container (8) CASSETTE*

15 Mad vet leaves Venetians in a tizzy (6) INSANE {veNEtIANS}*

17 One travelling around carrying counterfeit visa results in circumvention of law (7) EVASION {ONE}* over {VISA}*

19 Roars, “Smithy uses it” (7) BELLOWS [DD]

22 Commencement of pain, laceration and fever leads to medieval epidemic (6) PLAGUE {Pain}{La...n}{AGUE}

24 Close shave next to girl! (4,4) NEAR MISS {NEAR}{MISS}

26 Peninsular Malaysia is behind reportedly high mountain range (8) HIMALAYA {MALAYA}<=>{(~high)HI} 

28 Embosses postal fee receipts (6) STAMPS [DD]

30 Cobalt, aluminium and anthracite (4) COAL {CO}{AL}

31 Hong Kong gangs’ torture instruments (5) TONGS [DD]

32 “Arabian port” is bad English to some extent (4) ADEN [T]

DOWN

1   Force boy at last (4) BEND {B}{END}

2   Emphasises, “Small locks” (8) STRESSES {S}{TRESSES}

3   A couple of females with middlemen in European court get result (6) EFFECT {FF}{mEn} in {E}{CT} 

4   Pain in injured rat’s windpipe (7) TRACHEA {TR{ACHE}A*}

5   Sweat on steeple (8) PERSPIRE {PER}{SPIRE}

6   Thought beginners in legal service can be role models (6) IDEALS {IDEA}{Le..l}{Se...e}

7   Throw wild cats (4) CAST*

14 Smith’s block included in Roman villas (5) ANVIL [T]

16 New stew cooked in salamanders (5) NEWTS {N}{STEW*}

18 Wrongly carve a bit of tendon in large hams (8) OVERACTS {CARVE*}{Te...n} in {OS}

20 A sad lamb dances and dances (8) LAMBADAS*

21 United Nations container near New York is mysterious (7) UNCANNY {UN}{CAN}{NY}

23 Girl and woman hug student happily (6) GLADLY {G}{LAD{L}Y}

25 Help like sister when queen is away (6) ASSIST {AS}{SISTer}

27 Historical curtain once protecting Soviet Union from unfair onslaughts (4) IRON [T]

29 Good King Edward’s seaside construction (4) PIER {PI}{ER}

Reference List

Woman = W, Advertisement = AD, Boy = B, Small = S, Female = F, European = E, Court = CT, New = N, Large = OS, Girl = G, Student = L, Good = PI, King Edward = ER