No 14621, Friday 24 Oct 2025, Crescent

RULES FOR POSTING COMMENTS FOR FRIDAY ONLY

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PLEASE NOTE, SOLUTIONS WITHOUT ATTEMPTING THE ANNOTATIONS WILL BE DELETED

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ACROSS

8   Conformity as soon as controls last long (9) OBEDIENCE {O{BE}{DIE}NCE}

9   Viewed first person declared dead (4) EYED {(~i)EYE}{D}

10 Rank highly appalling, a boy regrets test (3,5,5,2) SET GREAT STORE BY*

12 Avoid flagging sponge to wrap fine ring containing diamonds (4-5) SOFT-PEDAL {SO{F}T}{PE{D}AL}

13 Sauce placed over gold dish (5) PILAU {LIP<=}{AU}

14 Heraldic bearing League adopts ends in uprising (7) AUGURAL {A{Up...nG}URA}{L}

17 Extent of length say a cart may be wheeled (7) YARDAGE {EG}{A}{DRAY}<=

19 Private free quarters fixed (5) RIGID {RI{GI}D}

21 Fruit taste of plums softly penetrating wine and beer (4,5) ROSE APPLE {Plums}{P} in {ROSE}{ALE}

24 A new take, worried about the Internet maybe (4,4,7) WIDE AREA NETWORK*

25 Combination of parties pass bill originally sent back (4) BLOC {COL}{Bill}<=

26 Sentry for one English queen filling drink, that lady's love? (9) SUPERHERO {E}{R}{HER}{O}<=>{SUP}

DOWN

1   Cuckoo rues singer's opening with 'Ah Poor Bird' (5,7) HOUSE SPARROW {RUES+Si...r+W+AH+POOR}*

2   Darling finally tiring of sex about to quibble (8) PETTIFOG {PET} with {t...nG}{OF}{IT}<=

3   Forward unit, section returning military status report (6) SITREP {PERT}{1}{S}<=

4   Advanced operating room at hospital (6) ONWARD {ON}{WARD}

5   Sly Wellington circles it from behind (8) WEASELLY {WE{SA<=}{E}LLY} Second E from?

6   Not satisfactory to live above means? (5,3) BELOW PAR {BE}{LOW}{PAR} 

7   Uncover cut red meat (6) REVEAL {REd}{VEAL}

11 University in New York, one very liberal perhaps (3,5,4) YOU NEVER KNOW {U] in {NEW+YORK+ONE+V}*

15 Boring without a spring clearance (8) RIDDANCE {aRID}{DANCE}

16 Not so much taking a rupee, good element of expansive generosity (8) LARGESSE {L{A}{R}{G}ESS}{Ex...e}

18 State accepts suggestion of pardon for informer (8) APPROVER {A{Pa...n}{PRO}VER}

20 Pest following chaps happily skipping line (6) GADFLY {F} in {GlADLY}

22 Jupiter's planet somewhat overshadowed by Mars in open-endedness (6) SINOPE [T]

23 Churches have these reforms broadcast (6) ALTARS (~alters)

Reference List

Dead = D, Fine = F, Diamonds = D, Sauce = LIP, League = L, Private = GI, Softly = P, Pass = COL, English = E, Queen = R, With = W, Sex = IT, Section = S, It = SA(Sex Appeal), University = U, Very = V, Rupee = R, Good = G, Element = E, Following = F