No 14621, Friday 24 Oct 2025, Crescent

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.

ACROSS

8   Conformity as soon as controls last long (9)

9   Viewed first person declared dead (4)

10 Rank highly appalling, a boy regrets test (3,5,5,2)

12 Avoid flagging sponge to wrap fine ring containing diamonds (4-5)

13 Sauce placed over gold dish (5)

14 Heraldic bearing League adopts ends in uprising (7)

17 Extent of length say a cart may be wheeled (7)

19 Private free quarters fixed (5)

21 Fruit taste of plums softly penetrating wine and beer (4,5)

24 A new take, worried about the Internet maybe (4,4,7)

25 Combination of parties pass bill originally sent back (4)

26 Sentry for one English queen filling drink, that lady's love? (9)

DOWN

1   Cuckoo rues singer's opening with 'Ah Poor Bird' (5,7)

2   Darling finally tiring of sex about to quibble (8)

3   Forward unit, section returning military status report (6)

4   Advanced operating room at hospital (6)

5   Sly Wellington circles it from behind (8)

6   Not satisfactory to live above means? (5,3)

7   Uncover cut red meat (6)

11 University in New York, one very liberal perhaps (3,5,4)

15 Boring without a spring clearance (8)

16 Not so much taking a rupee, good element of expansive generosity (8)

18 State accepts suggestion of pardon for informer (8)

20 Pest following chaps happily skipping line (6)

22 Jupiter's planet somewhat overshadowed by Mars in open-endedness (6)

23 Churches have these reforms broadcast (6)