The Hindu Cryptic on Sunday No 34, Sunday 14 Dec 2025, Arden

ACROSS

1   Pornographic books hidden by back cover which is fat (7) BLUBBER {BLU{BB}E}{c..eR}

5   In fact internal condition is highly respected (7) DEIFIED {DE{IF}{I}ED} I from?

9   Alternate proof — assets provide some food (5) ROAST {pRoOf+AsSeTs}

10 Country rejected plan to introduce one dress (9) MACEDONIA {AIM<=} over {ACE}{DON}

11 Potatoes bag in parts of the Netherlands (9) FRIESLAND {FRIES}{LAND}

12 Start growing thorny rose plant (5) GORSE {Gr...g}{ROSE*}

13 Responsibility — where it lies when we undertake to do something (4) ONUS {ON US}

15 Ones getting married on board can be emulated (8) IMITABLE {1}{M}{1}{TABLE}

18 It obeys Boyle’s law — perfect perhaps, NO? (5,3) IDEAL GAS {IDEAL}{GAS}

19 Bite insect in return (4) TANG<=

22 Signore Mitchell securing pardon (5) REMIT [T]

24 Group accepting torn bill is swelling (9) CHILBLAIN {CH{BILL*}AIN}

26 Remove unwanted starch from tetrasaccharide somehow (9) ERADICATE TetrasACchARIDE* 

27 African leaders totally under the same illusion (5) TUTSI Acrostic

28 Way to describe “Short story of an Italian dish” (7) LASAGNE {LA{SAGa}NE}

29 In support of school showing no interest in computer language (7) FORTRAN {FOR}{TRAiN}

DOWN

1   Don’t have complaint about Republicans headed by Trump (6) BEREFT {BE{R}EF}{Tr..p}

2   Maybe gained about a pound after central fund became nonpartisan (9) UNALIGNED {GAINED}* over {L} after {fUNd}

3   Times set up pieces of information (5) BYTES {BY}{SET*}

4   Bank getting old in America is running riot (9) RAMPAGING {RAMP}{AGING}

5   Last of the herd killed and cut up (5) DICED {herD}{ICED}

6   Mixed gin and tonic — not only cold but cross (9) INDIGNANT {GIN+AND+ToNIc}*

7   Private banquet, democrats missing (5) INNER dINNER

8   Head of department committed a crime and covered it up (6) DRAPED {De...t}{RAPED}

14 Going over, accepting a contract giving set of dimensions... (9) SCANTLING {SCA{NT}LING}

16 ...even though it opens out providing covers (2,5,2) IN SPITE OF {IT+OPENS}* in {IF}

17 House subsequently stored blue cans (9) LANCASTER {LA{CANS*}TER}

20 Trial order done, approval to pick outsiders (6) ORDEAL {OrdeR}{DonE}{Ap...aL}

21 Standard, almost close to mark... (6) ENSIGN {ENd}{SIGN}

23 ...randomly, so man complains (5) MOANS*

24 Stop close to line, in case... (5) CEASE {C{linE}ASE}

25 Sad, half-heartedly he takes a nibble (5) BITER BITtER

Reference List

Book = B, Married = M, Interest = I, Republican = R, Pound = L, Only = O, Cold = C, Democrats = D, Contract = NT{No Trumps)