No 14585, Wednesday 10 Sep 2025, Incognito

Solution to 4D 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 solve, if not solved by 1 PM.

ACROSS

7   Perhaps, Sam Browne, engineer and army officer (4) BELT {BE}{LT}

8   US oil treated by Scotsman across former French territory (9) LOUISIANA {US+OIL}*{IAN}{A}

10 Flier with queen's mum (6) MOTHER {MOTH}{ER}

11 National park in Gujarat gets safe arrangement protecting female animals that are tall (8) GIRAFFES {GIR}{AF{F}ES*}

12 Father has right names wrongly spelt for "Cheese" (8) PARMESAN {PA}{R}{NAMES*}

14 Stitch certain to cover 2, in short (6) SUTURE {S{UTah}URE}

16 British helped and made plaits (7) BRAIDED {BR}{AIDED}

18 Strange horse carrying a cross for scammers (7) HOAXERS {HO{A}{X}ERS*}

21 Pater travels around north to get progenitor (6) PARENT {PARE{N}T*}

23 So air gun can be exciting? (8) AROUSING*

25 Container to take away leftovers for pet or owner? (5,3) DOGGY BAG [CD]

27 Times European chops are minced? (6) EPOCHS {E}{CHOPS*}

29 Part of territory annexed by US from president's income (3,6) NEW MEXICO Anno pending

30 Colouring materials stored in shady establishment (4) DYES [T]

DOWN

1   Around midday, D. O'Brien may be charmingly well dressed (8) DEBONAIR {dAy+DOBRIEN}*

2   Heard you raise hat in American state (4) UTAH {(~you)U}{TAH<=}

3   Girl misspelling "Earls" glowers (6) GLARES {G}{EARLS*}

4   Stinging joke by man (7) ?U?G?N? (Addendum - PUNGENT {PUN}{GENT} - See comments)

5   Standard Oil takes in drunk reps giving a concentrated preparation of coffee (8) ESPRESSO {ES{REPS*}SO}

6   Young animal's portion of leg (4) CALF [DD]

9   Middle eastern potentate's surname erroneous to some extent (5) AMEER [T]

13 State having ocean on the east (5) MAINE {MAIN}{E}

15 State taxes revised (5) TEXAS*

17 "Things that can be consumed" - A Beatles composition (8) EATABLES*

19 New merchant releases model designed for American stock keepers (8) RANCHMEN {N+MERCHANt}*

20 Gatecrash into boat, followed by Indian (5,2) BARGE IN {BARGE}{IN}

22 A cereal seed got from an oak tree (5) ACORN {A}{CORN}

24 State: "Gold gone! Thrown away!" (6) OREGON {OR}{GONE*}

26 Girl's personal dress (4) GOWN {G}{OWN}

28 Oscar would end daughter's chances (4) ODDS {O}{w..lD}{D'S}

Reference List

Engineer = BE, Army officer = LT(Lieutenant), Across = A, Queen = ER, Female = F, Right = R, British = BR, North = N, European = E, Girl = G, East = E, New = N, Oscar = O, Daughter = D