The Hindu Cryptic on Sunday No 35, Sunday 21 Dec 2025, Incognito

ACROSS

8   Elevated part of Philly (4) HILL [T]

9   Cold rodent starting to explore box (5) CRATE {C}{RAT}{Ex...e}

10 City in almanac reference (4) ACRE [T]

11 A public representative follows Supreme Court instruction initially to produce seafood preparation (6) SCAMPI {A}{MP}<=> {SC} a {In...n}

12 Bait chum prepared can be somewhat excessive (1,3,4) A BIT MUCH*

13 Odd to include part of lever and choke (8) STRANGLE {STRANG{Le..r}E}

15 Very good employee in the bottling department (6) CORKER [DD}

17 Old question for naturist (7) EXPOSER {EX}{POSER}

19 Drink with actor's tutor (7) TEACHER {TEA}{CHER}

22 Fly flying tests at beginning of examination (6) TSETSE {TESTS*}{Ex...n}

24 Essentially firm attire may irk (8) IRRITATE {fIRm}{ATTIRE*}

26 Rat spreading ale around salver (8) BETRAYER {BE{TRAY}ER}

28 Doves flying around setter in reels (6) VIDEOS {V{I}DEOS*}

30 Therefore, District Attorney gets a drink (4) SODA {SO}{DA}

31 Capital captured by Sam Manekshaw? (5) AMMAN [T]

32 Raise from 51 feet (4) LIFT {LI}{FT}

DOWN

1   Metal from Zulu incorporated (4) ZINC {Z}{INC}

2   Graphite sphere placed behind fruit container (8) PLUMBAGO {O}<=>{PLUM}{BAG}

3   Pretending giant is dancing around college (6) ACTING {A{C}TING*}

4   Bear and cat dance in show (7) CABARET {BEAR+CAT}*

5   Medico is confused about pedestrian (8) MEDIOCRE {MEDICO*}{RE}

6   Ruler's Maruti is driven around (6) TAIMUR*

7   Reptile after losing considerable length from its full form when Odile leaves (4) CROC CROCodile

14 Model lines on graph depicts government revenue (5) TAXES {T}{AXES}

16 Put effort and remove bolt when redesigning letter box (5) EXERT {lETtER+boX}*

18 Usual sort of light appearing in a dye being spread (8) EVERYDAY {VERY} in {A+DYE}*

20 Excitedly it scaled forts (8) CITADELS*

21 Perhaps, television set and radio tuned by a mother (7) DIORAMA {RADIO*}{MA}

23 Stitching material used in cloth ready (6) THREAD [T]

25 Vanara irritated Lankan king (6) RAVANA*

27 Cupid crushed ores (4) EROS*

29 Popular aquarium fish having goldfish head is with European (4) ORFE {OR}{Fish}{E}

Reference List

Cold = C, Public representative = MP, Old = EX, 51 = LI, Zulu = Z, College = C, About = RE, Model = T, Gold = OR