No 14618, Monday 20 Oct 2025, Incognito

Artwork by Prasanna

Rangoli by Gowri

HAPPY DIWALI

Solution to 18A 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   State: "Love male" (4) OMAN {O}{MAN}

8   Bury in front of an actress, among other things (5,4) INTER ALIA {INTER}{ALIA}

10 Kind of hat worn by parents around North America (6) PANAMA {PA}{NA}{MA}

11 Moron! Tea is spilt in foyer... (8) ANTEROOM*

12 Indian manufactures coke here (8) CHEROKEE*

14 Push large implement (6) SHOVEL {SHOVE}{L}

16 Look at Indian food... It's a shame... (7) SCANDAL {SCAN}{DAL}

18 Gets away from Spanish headlands (7) ?S?A?E? 

21 Father gets tenancy charge from immediate ancestor (6) PARENT {PA}{RENT}

23 Asked for some quantity of paper in final part (8) ENQUIRED {EN{QUIRE}D}

25 Pious scamp's boats (8) PIROGUES {PI}{ROGUES}

27 Damage brace after international mass (6) IMPAIR {PAIR}<=>{I}{M}

29 Old PM is happy to gain 14 pounds (9) GLADSTONE {GLAD}{STONE}

30 Therefore, head office is in London locality (4) SOHO {SO}{HO}

DOWN

1   Route taken by mice running around showing ability to share feelings (8) EMPATHIC {EM{PATH}IC*}

2   Civilisation from Latin America developed in absence of material (4) INCA {latIN+ameriCA}

3   Mediocre journalist captures Juliet around one to forcibly take control of aircraft, for example (6) HIJACK {H{J}ACK} over {1}

4   Old kind of ship's faultless service carrying sports group (7) STEAMER {S{TEAM}ERvice}

5   Demonstrations for examinations (8) PROTESTS {PRO}{TESTS}

6   Horrible blunder to leave den and obfuscate (4) BLUR {BLUndeR}* Horrible before den would have been better!

9   A sound quality, to make amends (5) ATONE {A}{TONE}

13 Called engineer to get distance covered (5) RANGE {RANG}{E}

15 Look! A pig carrying animal! (5) OKAPI [T]

17 Rituals organised around beginning of month show selflessness (8) ALTRUISM {RITUALS}*{Mo..h} At beginning of  month would be better

19 Yes! Eight can get vision! (8) EYESIGHT* Anind?

20 Agitating peons accept current name for post-retirement payment (7) PENSION {PENS{I}O*}{N}

22 Silver containing drink is getting old (5) AGING {A{GIN}G}

24 Shake Archer's store (6) QUIVER [DD]

26 Erroneous kayo? Fine! (4) OKAY*

28 Some tense part of sherpa's travel (4) PAST [T]

Reference List

Large = L, Pious = PI, International = I, Mass = M, Juliet = J, Engineer = E, Current = I, Name = N