No 14608, Wednesday 08 Oct 2025, Saral

Solution to 14A 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   Company backing very large conglomerate at last entering town (7) SOCIETY {OS<=}{C{c...tE}ITY}

8   From the beginning organisations regularly perhaps helping all needy and abandoned (6) ORPHAN Acrostic

9   Minister carrying new weapon (6) CANNON {CAN{N}ON}

10 Excited bakers enthralled by North American state (8) NEBRASKA {N{BAKERS*}A}

11 Threatened grenade explosion behind border (10) ENDANGERED {GRENADE}*<=>{END}

13 Star hugging model in shock (4) STUN {S{T}UN}

14 Jack was involved in chats (4) ?A?S (Addendum JAWS {J}{WAS*} - See comments)

16 Flier back from Afghani border (5) ROBIN [T]

18 Animals getting rid of old furs (4) CATS CoATS

19 That lady concealing love for loafer, say (4) SHOE {SH{0}E}

21 Creature unfortunately returning in front of guy with the German (10) SALAMANDER {ALAS<=}{MAN}{DER}

23 Note by politician said to be profane (8) TEMPORAL {TE}{MP}{ORAL}

25 Sweet? Not consuming limitless sugar (6) NOUGAT {NO{sUGAr}T}

26 Wild bears chasing unknown animals (6) ZEBRAS {BEARS}*<=>{Z}

27 Group at first encouraged riot possibly hiding in church (7) COTERIE {En...d+RIOT}* in {CE}

DOWN

1   Check lads spreading rumours (8) SCANDALS {SCAN}{LADS*}

2   Youth edited agreement removing mark (8) TEENAGER AGREEmENT*

3   Tin coated with finally ruby colour (4) CYAN {C{rubY}AN} Is coated okay as a containment indicator?

4   In favour of offer in bar (6) FORBID {FOR}{BID}

5   Sprinkles bouquets (6) SPRAYS [DD}

6   Ruined punk? Right, collapsed inside club (8) BANKRUPT {PUNK+R}* in {BAT}

7   Cramps while cycling in country (5) SPAIN (+s)PAIN(-s)

12 Agitator almost stumbles outside Brazil's capital (5) REBEL {RE{Br...l}ELs}

15 Wins? That is victory shrouded by pains (8) ACHIEVES {ACH{IE}{V}ES}

17 Submit main note perhaps (8) NOMINATE*

18 Seizes children's game reportedly (8) CONQUERS (~conkers)

20 Trade old wine (6) EXPORT {EX}{PORT}

21 Sisters abandoned one sadly in trouble (6) STRESS SiSTERS*

22 Cancel dates online (5) ERASE {ERAS}{E}

24 Basically looped artistic cross-stitch embroidery for filigree (4) LACE Acrostic Semi&lit

Reference List

Very large = OS, New = N, Model = T, Jack = J, Old = O, The in German = DER, Note = TE, Unknown = Z, Church = CE, Mark = M, Right = R, Victory = V, Online = E

No 14607, Tuesday 07 Oct 2025, Gussalufz

Solution to 26A 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.

It Opened With Open Government

ACROSS

1   Wild daughter leaves for college, returns polite (5) CIVIL LIVI(-d+c)C<=

4   Bundle new breaks into tax for affordability (9) CHEAPNESS {C{HEAP}{N}ESS}

9   Pet's DNA shocked some particular people (7) PEDANTS*

10 Resist free on-board crackers (no wrong done!) (7) FORBEAR {FREe+on+BOARd}*

11 "Select the third option, no?" she teased (6) CHOSEN {abC}{NO+SHE}*

12 Ponder: fine to replace temp fuse? (8) CONFLATE CON{+f-temp}FLATE

14 What is misinterpreted as an increase in friendliness? (4) THAW*

15 Research probing secrets about women serving the clergy (10) RECTRESSES {RES} in {SECRETS}*

18 Child (one guarded by several rugged knights) (10) CHEVALIERS {CH}{EVAL{1}ERS*}

19 Maybe ball bearings absorb shock to an extent (4) ORBS [T]

22 "Get Back" amongst popular Queen soprano numbers? (8) INTEGERS {GET<=} in {IN}{ER}{S} 

24 One might break through defences of exhausted housekeeper, snaffling cake sneakily (6) HACKER {Ho...{CAKE*}...eR}

26 Police officer claims victory after evicting General Electric employee (7) S?R?A?T (Addendum - SERVANT SER(-ge+v)VANT - See comments)

27 Experience mince pies with celebratory song (7) EPISODE {PIES*}{ODE}

28 Says, in a strange voice, "Space agency makes up stuff about sun" (9) NASALISES {NASA}{LI{S}ES}

29 Next Olympic boxing champion (5) EXTOL [T]

DOWN

1   Ape fur includes soft hints of yellowish colour (7) COPYCAT {CO{P}{Ye...h}{Co...r}AT}

2   On-screen entertainment? Bad movie, egad! (5,4) VIDEO GAME*

3   Understands making one small change to large, fragile devices (6) LENSES (-s+l)LENSES

4   Turning point of century: American president (4) CUSP {C}{US}{P} 

5   Presumption: often, ferry gets diverted (10) EFFRONTERY*

6   Fried bread, fried not fully kneaded, as that takes care of contaminants (8) PURIFIER {PURI}{FRIEd}*

7   Substantially vile demagoguery is swelling in the U.S. (5) EDEMA [T]

8   Roads where moving right two steps and reversing changes nothing? (7) STREETS ST(-r)EE(+r)RTS<=

13 Old Indian ways of batting (drives, etc.) limiting India (5,5) VEDIC RITES {DRIVES+ETC} over {I}

16 Remove headless fish eaten by small fish (6,3) STRIKE OUT {S}{TR{pIKE}OUT}

17 He ain't gonna field regularly with finger injury (8) HANGNAIL {He+AiNt+GoNnA+fIeLd}

18 Red Cross abruptly ordered to embrace extremes of imperialism by nationalist (7) CRIMSON {CROSs}* over {Im...sM} by {N}

20 "Yes," admits Republican, "each Liberal is weird" (7) SURREAL {SU{R}RE}{E}{L} Each/E?

21 Ridicule Sunday clothes (excluding one shirt) (6) SATIRE {S}{ATtIRE}

23 Some rabble-rouser (I think), raised flags (5) TIRES [T<=]

25 Noisy females in stitches (4) SEWS (~sues) Sew is pronounced as SO and not SUE (Correction (~sows) - See comments)

Reference List

Daughter = D, College = C, New = N, Fine = F, Research = RES, Child = CH, Queen = ER, Soprano = S, Victory = V, Sun = S, Soft = P, Small = S, Large = L, Century = C, President = P, Fried bread = PURI, India = I, Nationalist = N, Republican = R, Liberal = L, Shirt = T

No 14606, Monday 06 October 2025, Karaoke

Solution to 11D 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

1   Feel indignation about missing first award (6) RESENT pRESENT

4   Expert shot to contain almost well-built outlaw (8) PROHIBIT {PRO}{{HI{BIg}T}

9   First and second pocketed by soldiers (6) MAIDEN {M{AID}EN}

10 Yahoo has to bring in woman with brown hair (8) BRUNETTE {BRU{NET}TE}

12 OK, none left, quite contrary (3,5) ALL RIGHT [C&DD]

13 Despises intensely missing parking in dizzy bar hops (6) ABHORS {BAR+HOpS}*

15 Avoid channel ignoring time for kids mainly (4) DUCK DUC(-t+k)K

17 Man, gents' room mainly in ruins, so... (10)  STRENGTHEN {GENTS+Room}*{THEN}

19 ...You will do this when things are terribly taking time (10) STRAIGHTEN {THINGS+ARE}* over {T}

20 Many cycling for an opening in the organisation (4)  SLOT (+s)SLOT(-s)

23 Group of four in illegal trade with model (6) TETRAD {T} in {TRADE}*

24 Flying or sailing? No good to go (8) AVIATION nAVIgATION

27 Film duck swimming underwater without breathing equipment (8) SKINDIVE {SKIN}{DIVE}

28 Save Conservative from fire, that is more coloured with embers (6) ASHIER cASHIER

29 Japanese dish from Tokyo mostly cooked with a mirin essentially (8) YAKITORI {TOKYo+A+mIRIn}*

30 Hitmen shot one going for a song (6) ANTHEM H(-i+a)ATMEN*

DOWN

1   Butter and most of dairy destroyed in robbery in store (3-4) RAM-RAID {RAM}{DAIRy}*

2   Immobile cashboxes on rotation (5) STILL (+s)STILL(-s)

3   Noises disturbing the activity of the intellect (6) NOESIS*

5   Exceptional rule long time back (4) RARE {R}{ERA<=}

6   Spooner's forbidden ugly women with reticules (8) HANDBAGS (banned hags to handbags)

7   Model entering exotic hotel with bar for marriage proposal (9) BETROTHAL {T} in {HOTEL+BAR}*

8   Trotsky essentially the main cause for mutiny (7) TREASON {troTsky}{REASON}

11 Calling rogues as animals? (7) ?H?T?H? (Addendum - CHETAHS (~cheaters) - Wrongly spelt)

14 Merit of book, readers heartily finished first reading (7) DESERVE  {rESERVE}<=>{reaDers}

16 Maybe magicians' favourite vehicle, mainly dirty to take for a ride (4,5) CARD TRICK {CAR}{Di..y}{TRICK}

18 Indian buffet in extremely great cocktail (3,3,2) GIN AND IT {Gre{INDIAN}*aT}

19 In a manner of speaking, alcoholic is extremely oblivious, yes (2,2,3) SO TO SAY {SOT}{Ob...uS}{AY}

21 Beginning of tooth cavity causes fit of rage (7) TANTRUM {To..h}{ANTRUM}

22 Endlessly flattering Sultana (6) RAISIN pRAISINg

25 Language, it is before setter (5) IRISH {IRISH setter}

26 State of public house mostly ignoring time (4) AVER tAVERn

 

Reference List

Parking = P, Time = T, Model = T, No = N, Good = G, Conservative = C, Rule = R, Reading = R 

The Hindu Cryptic on Sunday, Sunday 05 Oct 2025, Arden

ACROSS

1   Morning meeting of influential people might stop quickly (5,9) POWER BREAKFAST {POWER}{BREAK FAST}

10 Liable to gather essential idea from expert (5) ADEPT {A{iDEa}PT}

11 Third bomb blast - also twice outside the famous test site (3,6) LOS ALAMOS {boMb} in {ALSO+ALSO}*

12 Spindle diameter providing fast movement inside (7) DISTAFF {DI{FAST*}F} Diameter/Dif? (Correction - {D}{I{FAST*}F} See comments

13 "Island in part" - a musical review (7) SUMATRA [T]

14 Bad smell? Chop head off fish (5) TENCH sTENCH

16 He was philosophical about 14 size (9) NIETZSCHE {TENCH+SIZE}*

19 Insult to church, shape to be altered (5,4) CHEAP SHOT {CH}{SHAPE+TO}*

20 Loves speed, get-up-and-go (5) OOMPH {OO}{MPH}

22 Blister means hearts go for spades (7) VESICLE VE(-h+s)SICLE

25 Greek Goddess's gift, giving out half (7) ARTEMIS Anno pending (Addendum {ART}{EMISsion} - See comments)

27 Bones broken - team on pitch is recalled (9) METATARSI {TEAM}*{TAR}{IS<=}

28 Perfect inside a laundry (5) IDEAL [T]

29 Follow direction, then play around with girls - it's a natural phenomenon (8,6) NORTHERN LIGHTS {NORTH}{THEN+GIRLS}*

DOWN

2   Be nice - so a criminal gets respect (9) OBEISANCE*

3   Old painting hung up additionally (5) EXTRA {EX}{ART<=}

4   Bird having a fill perhaps amid the flowers (9) BULLFINCH {BU{FILL*}NCH}

5   Chides for the lack of time, becomes moderate (5) EASES tEASES

6   Ex-president before a menagerie in US city (9) KALAMAZOO {KALAM}{A}{ZOO}

7   Student essentially comes in the morning, it becomes own (5) ADMIT {A{stuDent}M}{IT}

8   Having the will, say to support those disheartened... (7) TESTATE {STATE}<=>{ThosE}

9   ...and getting in touch with the criminal (6) BANDIT {B{AND{IT}

15 Hard work to score in a game (9) HOPSCOTCH {H}{OP}{SCOTCH}

17 Hormone details or composition (9) ESTRADIOL*

18 Cat hides hand, say, when it's used to catch mice (9) CAMEMBERT {CA{MEMBER}T}

19 Beginning with Charlie and Victor - name picked up by our ancestor (4,3) CAVE MAN {Ch...e}{And}{Vi...r}{NAME<=}

21 Bother with high sales output (6) HASSLE {H}{SALES*}

23 Instrument in transit, arriving shortly (5) SITAR [T]

24 Merry sort, no covers, one slip (5) ERROR {mERRy}{sORt}

26 Connecting it perhaps when height is unknown (5) TYING T(-h+y)YING

Reference List

Diameter = D, Church = CH, Hearts = H, Spades = S, Old = EX, Time = T, Hard = H, High = H, Height = H, Unknown = Y

No 14605, Saturday 04 October 2025, Avtaar

 ACROSS
1 Mom visiting homes for lotus flowers to be used in pooja (6) PADMAS {PAD{MA}S}

5 Most uncouth bums lying in bed (8) COARSEST {CO{ARSES}T}
9 John and Avtaar carrying bread for Turkish boss bosses (8) CAPITANI {CA{PITA}N}{I} Didn't find it on-line but BRB has it. See comments.
10 Held in deposit after return by writer (4-2) PENT-UP {PUT<}<=>{PEN}
11 Singing legend, (not a Rastafarian), performed captivating "New York", at the end (5,7) FRANK SINATRA {RASTAFARIaN}* over {N}{yorK}

13 Revolutionary upset a royal (4) RAJA {JAR<}{A}
14 Bishop pokes a judge to irritate (8) ACERBATE {ACE}{R{B}ATE}
17 Spooner's guy rations fuel (8) FIREWOOD Spoonerism of WIRE FOOD
18 Smart chap, perhaps, retired in Iceland, after leaving India (4) ALEC {iCELAnd}<
20 Mostly gormand sorts starting to enjoy cooking (12) GASTRONOMERS {GORMANd SORTS Enjoy}* &Lit For some strange reason the online version was insisting this was wrong. Update: Now Rectified.
23 Sharper, thinner, low leaves (6) WILIER {WILlowIER}
24 Made way through article by director - gripping study (8) THREADED {TH{READ}E}{D}
25 Host quietly ignored one taking umbrage (8) RESENTER {pRESENTER}
26 Creeps in ship taking over lounge (6) SIDLES {S{IDLE}S}

DOWN
2 Set of notes about seaweed (4) AGAR {RAGA<}
3 I'm looking up label sealing father's computer (9) MAINFRAME {I AM}<{N{FR}AME}
4 A boring quiet chap who practises black magic (6) SHAMAN {SH}{A}{MAN}

5 Extremely cool, dark, romantic novel outside small shop that sells online too (6,3,6) CLICKS AND MORTAR {CooL}{DARK ROMANTIC}* over {S}
6 Pressure on police department to arrest rebel after American provided a brief (8) APPRISED {P}{P{RISE}D}<=>{A}
7 Amundsen napped consuming laxative (5) SENNA [T]
8 Maids cleaned up our settees stained with black, pouring a drop of ethanol (10) SOUBRETTES {OUR SETTEeS}* over {B} New word for me
12 Invest in recycled plastic, increasing environmental awareness, basically (10) CAPITALISE {PLASTIC Increasing Environmental Awareness}*
15 Mark holding back British orchestra (5,4) BRASS BAND {BR{ASS}{B}AND}

16 Head of anarchic state's chant about leaders of clamorous rioters storming vessel (8) MOBOCRAT {OM<}{ BOAT} over {Clamourous}{Rioters}
19 Faces animals crossing terminal in Dortmund (6) BEARDS {BEAR{dortmunD}S}
21 Your warmth in entertaining inspires (5) THINE [T]
22 Loud spy dog (4) PEKE {~PEEK}

REFERENCE LIST

Mom=Ma, New=N, Bishop=B, A=Ace, India=Ind, Director=D, Quietly=P, Ship=SS, Father=Fr, Quiet=Sh, Small=S, Pressure=P, Police Department=PD, Black=B, British=B.

No 14604, Friday 03 Oct 2025, Bruno

RULES FOR POSTING COMMENTS FOR FRIDAY ONLY

All those who are not regular commenters but who are rookie commenters or silent followers of the blog are requested to post answers with annotations in the comments section. In your own interest please avoid looking up the answers from the interactive version. Don't hesitate to post your annotations, in case you make a mistake in the annotation someone will correct it with the right annotation.

PLEASE NOTE, SOLUTIONS WITHOUT ATTEMPTING THE ANNOTATIONS WILL BE DELETED

Each commenter is requested to post only 5 answers thereby giving others also a chance to participate. Please provide all your answers in one comment.

Regular solvers/Veterans can post 1 answer each, but after 11 AM only.

Thanks for the response, here's the regular blog.

ACROSS

6   Large American city with no grassy area (5) LLANO {L}{LA}{NO}

7   Record-breaking complex not an ogre - made with this building material (3, 5) RED BRICK  {RECorDBReaKIng}*

10 If part of the body's... (7) MIDRIFF IF is middle of rIFf  Semi&lit

11 ... even touched, cut off wrap (7) ENVELOP {EVEN}*{LOP} Touched/Anind?

12 Grill AI-inspired child following centre of exhibit (7) HIBACHI {A{CH}I}<=>{exHIBit}

13 Whip son having no hint of any guts (7) SCOURGE {S}{COURaGE}

14 How's this Olympic event? (11) SHOWJUMPING {HOWS}* [RA]

19 Declare: most of Mexican cooking contains mainly lentils (7) EXCLAIM {MEXICAn}* over {Le...s}

21 Moderate seaside area home to bulk of organisms (7) QUALIFY {QUA{LIFe}Y}

23 Fire current into fuel with a kind of cable (7) COAXIAL {AX}{I} in {COAL}

25 Russia's last liberal collapsed at heart imprisoned in ruler's castle (7) ALCAZAR {r...iA}{L}{C{collApsed}ZAR}

26 Led Zeppelin originally played around AZ after Robert essentially became blind (8) BEDAZZLE {LED+Ze...n} over {AZ} after {roBErt}

27 Crossing river... cold with fear (5) DREAD {D{R}EAD}

DOWN

1   Spooner's father gambles and defaults (3,5) BAD DEBTS (dad bets to bad debts)

2   Set of signs some cricket match in South Africa's corrupt to begin with (6) ZODIAC {Z{ODI}A}{Co...t}

3   Storm's often very loud in Jamaica - leaving area destroyed and long vehicle lines (7,3) TRAFFIC JAM {sToRm} and {FF} in {JAMAICa}*

4   Grandad zealously guarding tool (4) ADZE [T]

5   Leader disregarded funny visual (6) OCULAR jOCULAR

6   Tissues of Latin Goddesses expressing sadness, at heart (6) LYMPHS {L}{nYMPHS}

8   Italian food recipe has garlic sauce infused with bit of vinegar (7) RAVIOLI {R}{A{Vi...r}IOLI}

9   Mysterious sound's starting when setting up Zoom (5) SPEED {DEEP}{So..d}<=

13 Note: Resume developed with AI (first version) can contain questionable beginning (10) SEMIQUAVER {RESUME+AI+Ve...n} over {Qu...e}*

15 Old vehicle in America - one that produces sound through holes (7) OCARINA {O}{CAR}{IN}{A}

16 Grey-haired girl showered with top off (8) GRIZZLED {G}{dRIZZLED}

17 Throw out some rebel churchgoers (5) BELCH [T]

18 Extremely happy new wife leaving home finally, becomes cross (6) HYBRID {HappY}{BRIDe}

20 Mad-Z chasing car crashes (6) CRAZED {ZED}<=>{CAR}*

22 Agree - Eastern Indian peninsula largely needs to be uplifted (6) ACCEDE {E}{DECCAn}<=

24 Dim husband becoming large and idle (4) LAZY (-h+l)LAZY

Reference List

Large = L, Child = CH, Son = S, Fire = AX, Current = I, Liberal = L, River = R, South Africa = ZA, Very loud = FF, Latin = L, Recipe = R, Old = O, America = A, Girl = G, Eastern = E, Husband = H

Special, Thursday 02 Oct 2025, Veeyares

Artwork by Prasanna

Three answers per commenter till 1 PM (Annotations compulsory) 

Please submit all your answers in one comment.  

(COMMENTS ENTERED WITH LESS THAN THREE ANSWERS/ANNOTATIONS WILL BE DELETED WITHOUT NOTICE, UNLESS THE COMMENTER SPECIFIES THAT IT IS A COMPENSATION FOR A REPEAT)

Enjoy.

No 14603, Wednesday 01 Oct 2025, Hypatia

Rangoli by Gowri

Solution to 23A 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   Great fun with one entertained by computer (8) MAJESTIC {MA{JEST}{1}C}

9   Bored by working, had director repented (6) ATONED {AT{ON}E}{D}

10 Maiden painting store (4) MART {M}{ART}

11 Stop indicator in pool lit by Spooner (5,5) BRAKE LIGHT (lake bright to brake light)

12 Season fertilizer changing Nitrogen's temperature (6) MATURE MA(-n+t)TURE

14 Gen Y girl moving cautiously (8) GINGERLY*

15 Hard to comprehend where curlers are placed (5,4,4) ABOVE ONES HEAD [C&DD]

18 Dangerous dacoit gaining time with Republican tyrant (8) DICTATOR {DACOIT+T}*{R} (Correction - {DACOIT}* over {T} with {R} - See comments)

20 In fact, his view's frequently intuitive (6) NATIVE {iN+fAcT+hIs+ViEw}

21 Work in Lahore or abroad in verbosity (10) LOGORRHOEA {GO} in {LAHORE+OR}*

22 Afghan carving a new course (4) PATH PATHan

23 Hollow spaces without frame for antenna, say (6) ?I?O?E (Addendum - DIPOLE {DIP}{hOLEs} - See comments})

24 Issued or kept confidential (8) SECRETED [DD]

DOWN

1   Managed to hold God of death back with an epic saga (8) RAMAYANA {R{YAMA<=}AN}{A}

2   Primarily nifty, elegant and tasteful! (4) NEAT Acrostic &lit

3   Permanent housing for nags (6) STABLE [DD]

4   Shows power supported by mature soldiers (8) PAGEANTS {P}{AGE}{ANTS}

5   Propose to build store e.g. outside barren location (4,6) GOBI DESERT {BID} in {STORE+EG}*

6   Deadly drug imported by permit with gangster (6) LETHAL {H} in {LET}{AL}

8   Gosh! Romancing casually in places where folks undress (8,5) CHANGING ROOMS*

13 Maverick University player turning party animal (10) UNORTHODOX {U}{NORTH}{DO<=}{OX}

16 Restaurants in great Erie street (8) EATERIES [T]

17 Aficionados in building voted to erect Church (8) DEVOTEES {VOTED*}{SEE<=}

19 Very famous Indian bank abruptly bored by working (6) ICONIC {IC{ON}ICi}

20 Trace sister at church touring America (6) NUANCE {NUN}{CE} over {A}

22 Announced petition for game (4) PREY (~pray)

Reference List

Director = D, Maiden = M, Temperature = T, Time = T, Republican = R, New = N, Power = P, Drug = H(Heroin), Gangster = AL(Capone), University = U, Player = NORTH, Church = SEE, Church = CE, America = A