The Hindu Crossword on Sunday No 28, Sunday 02 Nov 2025, Arden

ACROSS

1   Perhaps setter’s quick to take rest – making a mess (4,9) DOGS BREAKFAST {DOGS}{FAST} over {BREAK} 

10 Innate presence within, at all times (5) NATAL [T]

11 Survive on spin in pitch – it’s a play thing (5,4) TEDDY BEAR {BE}<=>{EDDY} in {TAR}

12 Drive out in the end with a storyteller (4,5) GORE VIDAL {GO{DRIVE*}AL}

13 Remains to enjoy as Charlie becomes quiet (5) RELIC RELI(-sh+c)C

14 Advocate finds another lost copy outside (7) APOSTLE {AP{LOST*}E}

16 Half the school got zero wrongly for light musical composition (7) SCHERZO {SCHool}{ZERO*}

18 Artist’s friend protecting terrorists (7) MATISSE {MAT{ISS}E} The terrorist is ISIS not ISS

20 Gathers for service in the main on return (7) AMASSES {MASS} in {SEA<=}

22 Captures Spartacus was somewhat taken back (5) TRAPS [T<=]

24 Measure of corporate expansion? (9) WAISTLINE [CD]

26 Bag of rice provided in offering (9) SACRIFICE {SAC}{RICE}* over {IF}

27 Additional entry in the next race (5) EXTRA [T]

28 Fat shape – poised to come in for debate (7,6) ADIPOSE TISSUE {POISED}* in {AT ISSUE}

DOWN

2   No uprising – a riot organised in a province (7) ONTARIO {NO<=}{A+RIOT}*

3   Drools over sales current tax included (9) SALIVATES {SAL{I}{VAT}ES}

4   Estimated that communist party regularly is involved (5) RATED {R{pArTy}ED}

5   Part of Spain – a land spread America shows interest in (9) ANDALUSIA {A+LAND}*{US{I}A}

6   Once you went in for getting entry (5) FOYER {FO{YE}R}

7   Not even scarry, eating grass is excellent (7) STELLAR {Sc{TELL}ArRy}

8   How to make a domesticated animal to become docile, as a man made it (13)  ANAGRAMMATISE [DBE] Extra T in the fodder

9   Change route misplace gold, perhaps (8,5)  PRECIOUS METAL*

15 With the weeds lies wild flower (9) EDELWEISS*

17 Cruel when savage becomes sage (9) HEARTLESS Anno pending

19 Leading tap dancer unexpectedly fell into a stupor (7) TRANCED {Tap}{DANCER}*

21 Oriental massage somehow it has upset America (7) SHIATSU {IT+HAS}*{US<=}

23 Cut corners and hop over central Denmark (5) SKIMP {SKI{denMark}P}

25 Takes Sunday off Putin sleeping (5) INERT INsERT 

Reference List

Survive = BE, Charlie = C, Quiet = SH, Current = I, Interest = I, Once you = YE, Sunday = S