No 14662, Thursday 11 Dec 2025, Vidwan

Solution to 17D has been deliberately left unsolved and is to be answered 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 answer, if not solved by 1 PM

ACROSS

8   Adult male, single, disheartened bachelor, a small invisible creature (6) AMOEBA {A}{M}{OnE}{B}{A}

9   Likely research about odd bits of tax bill (8) PROBABLE {PROB{tAx+BiLl}E}

10 Love to play an instrument used to check hearing (8) OTOSCOPE {O}{TO}{SCOPE}

11 Princess and love stifled by cold and abject stupidity (6) IDIOCY {I{DI}{O}CY}

12 Carol discarded last of the symbol of virginity (4) HYMN HYMeN

13 Lacking power, small, having no work and stubborn! (10) UNYIELDING {pUNY}{wIELDING}

14 Charm southern maiden exuded, chasing single man from Rome (7) ITALIAN {TALIsmAN}<=>{1}

15 A Hindu prince could be French one! (7) DAUPHIN {A+HINDU+P}*

18 Operation by media that is externally very harsh (10) OPPRESIVE {OP}{PRESS}{I{V}E}

20 Back to head, pain for every one (4) EACH (+e)EACH(-e)

21 Mostly worried about new India's game (6) TENNIS {TEN{N}{I}Se}

22 GOP shift shook present establishment (4,4) GIFT SHOP*

24 American cement in tariff dispute (8) ARGUMENT {A}{R{GUM}ENT}

25 Bid to provoke leader of Catholics, leaving for Vatican (6) INVITE IN(-c+v)VITE

DOWN

1   American crossed borders of Hungary with case of scarlet quartz (8) AMETHYST {A}{MET}{Hu...rY}{Sc...eT}

2   Rubbish proposal! None runs for you or me, say (8,7) PERSONAL PRONOUN {PROPOSAL+NONE+RUN}* How is the S from RUNS eliminated?

3   Peculiar hinges around a wooden strip on lower part of wall (4) DADO {OD{A}D<=}

4   Kiwi organising party with ex! (7)  APTERYX {PARTY+EX}*

5   Exclaim vehemently if English overact at sea (10) VOCIFERATE {IF+E+OVERACT}*

6   Bipolar men's anxiety after losing power to Democrat revealing shifting of vote (5-10) MANIC-DEPRESSIVE {M}{pANIC}{D}{ExPRESSIVE}

7   Bird of prey, pushing down a small stoppered bottle (6) FLACON F(-a)L(+a)ACON

13 It uses sand blasting alone (10) UNASSISTED*

16 Beginning with popular chocolate? No? Pass! (8) INCHOATE {IN}{CHOcolATE}

17 Restless when returning to get in for a day (7) ?I?G?T? (Addendum - FIDGETY {IF<=}{D(-a+get)GETY} - See comments)

19 Novelist name on essay or verse (6) POETRY {POE}{TRY}

23 Weak run away and stop working (4) FAIL FrAIL

Reference List

Adult = A, Male = M, Bachelor = B, Princess = DI, Power = P, Work = W, Southern = S, Maiden = M, Prince = P, Very = V, New = N, India = I, American = A, Vatican = V, English = E, Democrat = D, Vote = X, Pass = COL, Run = R