No 14634, Saturday 08 November 2025, Pixie Dust

 ACROSS
1 Archimedes is terrified to expose axe (6) DESIST [T]
4 Spooner's ask - "Trap martial artist in opener!" (8) LATCHKEY {Spoonerism of CATCH LEE}
9 Heh! Tee shirt has round bubble (6) SEETHE [T<]
10 Father Weasley for one, perhaps meant to ignore European figurehead (5,3) FRONT MAN {F}{RON}{MeANT*}
12 One who lived in a shoe perhaps, so frail and mellow- so calm, a superhuman ultimately! (3,5) OLD WOMAN [Tail Acrostic]

                             "There was an old woman who lived in a shoe.

                               She had so many children, she didn't know what to do.

                               She gave them some broth without any bread;

                               Then whipped them all soundly and put them to bed"

13 Sigh! Need no closers to become a party to an agreement (6) SIGNEE {SIGh}{NEEd}
15 Daily I stroke my...? (3,4,5) NEW YORK TIMES {I STROKE MY}* [RA]

18 Let chaps get played again and again in race? (12) STEEPLECHASE Letter Bank from LET CHAPS

21 Cause some declare as ongoing (6) REASON [T]
22 Elephant-like animal stood shaking, trapped by mortal (8) MASTODON {STOOD}* in {MAN}

24 Bet this multi-tongued criminal got potbelly! (8) POLYGLOT {BET+POLYGLOT}*=GOT POTBELLY [CA]
25 Intended fund, not new (6) FIANCE {FInANCE}
26 Limb to cover top of neck and subsequently stretch (8) LENGTHEN {LE{Neck}G}{THEN}
27 Husband away following weekend, essentially (3,3) EKE OUT  {OUT}<=>{weEKEnd}

DOWN
1 Ignore Princess Sierra and English Nobleman (8) DISCOUNT {DI}{S}{COUNT}
2 Give up cats and dogs? (upset and depressed) (4-4) STEP DOWN {PETS<}{DOWN}
3 Group of swimmers say, terribly hot, fought in camp (6,2,7) SCHOOL OF THOUGHT {SCHOOL}{HOT FOUGHT}*
5 Raag created in historical city (4) AGRA*
6 Broadcast eccentric kind of exploitation (10,5) CONFIDENCE TRICK*

7 First of all, King in mirror observes no outer wrap (6) KIMONO Acrostic

                                                       Took this during my Japan visit last year

8 Pulled American curtly with date (6) YANKED {YANKEe}{D}

11 Hot associate, (native of East London) rejects company vehicle (7) HACKNEY {H}{A}{coCKNEY}

16 Cool Japanese dumpling and Spanish dance (8) FANDANGO {FAN}{DANGO}

17 Modify and control outlet (8) REINVENT {REIN}{VENT}
19 Drive regularly in part of Puebla (6) PROPEL {PaRt Of PuEbLa}
20 Summon famous firstborn guarding abridgment of will? (4,2) CALL IN {CAIN} over {'LL} 'LL as in I'll or He'll for I will or He will
23 Press announced, it's a deal! (4) DONE {~DUN}
14 First couple's cover? (3,4) FIG LEAF [CD]

REFERENCE LIST

Father=F, European=E, New=N, Princess=Di ( Princess Diana), Date=D, Hot=H, Associate=A, Company=Co