No 14563, Thursday 14 Aug 2025, Mythical

Welcome to our new setter Mythical. Bouquets and Brickbats welcome.

Solution to 6D has been deliberately left unsolved and is to be answered only 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 solve, if not solved by 1 PM.

ACROSS

6   Article about South American saint (7) THERESA {THE}{RE}{SA}

7   Smarten up one getting married (5) GROOM [DD]

9   Party guests appreciate luscious appetisers for starters (4) GALA Acrostic

10 Young woman I love ? Not a preacher! (10) MISSIONARY {MISS}{I}{0}{NARY}

11 Penalise a number involved in awful scene (8) SENTENCE {SEN{TEN}CE*}

13 Train Indians regularly in compound (6) TANNIN {TrAiN+iNdIaNs}

15 Model near street in Paris? That's correct (4) TRUE {T}{RUE}

17 Number three perhaps (5) ETHER*

18 Reportedly durable fabric that's passed on (4) GENE (~jean) 

19 Architects crashed, losing relay race - Darn! (6) STITCH arcHITeCTS* What's the role of 'relay'? See domments

20 Goons hit indiscriminately in gunfire (8) SHOOTING*

23 Cheat and somehow vote in new Assembly (10) CONVENTION {CON}{VOTE+IN+N}*

26 Essentially, archive shows human needs somewhere to live (4) HOME {arcHive}{shOws}{huMan}{neEds}

27 Small plant in bottle (5) SPINE {S}{PINE}

28 Fellow gave up after losing the lead and stopped (7) FIELDED {F}{yIELDED} 

DOWN

1   Director possibly met parent in office (10) DEPARTMENT {D}{MET+PARENT}*

2   Propose amendments protecting sailors (6) SEAMEN [T]

3   Girl leaving Nigerian city for a country in Asia (4) LAOS LAgOS

4   Sparkling silver pieces of paper perhaps (8) AGLITTER {AG}{LITTER}

5   Actor runs frequently, leading to foot trouble (4) CORN {aCtOr+RuNs}

6   Lying about education & skill for job (5) T?A?E ()

8   Outsider little green perhaps? (7) MARTIAN [CD]

12 Indicated people cycling forms character (5) ETHOS (+e)ETHOS(-e)

14 This plant's another thing eaten in Southern Europe (10) NIGHTSHADE {THING*}{HAD}{SE}

16 Break trip occasionally, working with son to get supplies (7) RATIONS {bReAk+TrIp}{SON*} Role of with? (Correction - {bReAk+TrIp}{ON}{S} - See comments)

17 Henna applied around last month has intensified (8) ENHANCED {HENNA*}{DEC<=}

21 Wild cats ? They're part of the pound (6) OUNCES [DD]

22 Traveller listed among cases coming up (5) NOMAD [T=]

24 Arrogant streak, you say ? (4) VAIN (~vein)

25 News or facts needed immediately lifted from sources (4) INFO Reverse Acrosic

Reference List

About = RE, Model = T, Street in Paris = RUE, New = N, Small = S, Fellow = F, Director = D, Girl = G, Son = S

No 14562, Wednesday 13 Aug 2025, KrisKross

Solution to 4D has been deliberately left unsolved and is to be answered only 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 solve, if not solved by 1 PM.

ACROSS

1   Class in college translated Tagore story in the end (8) CATEGORY {C}{TAGORE*}{s..rY}

5   Losing initial momentum, batsmen playing and missing (6) ABSENT BATSmEN*

9   Very large chunk of stollen or mousse (8) ENORMOUS [T]

10 Today, simply change (6) ADJUST {AD}{JUST}

12 What a rustler may do to assess the situation (4,5) TAKE STOCK [DD]

13 To sum up, exhausted after exchange of words (2,3) IN ALL {ALL<=>IN}

14 Unfortunately, healthy food mostly rejected (4) ALAS SALAd<=

16 Bumpy ground around lake (7) NODULAR {AROUND+L}*

19 Say, a clarinet missing note wrongly (7) ARTICLE {A+CLARInET}*

21 Bouquet picked up and mailed (4) SENT (~scent)

24 Weapon with tip broken - look! (5) LANCE gLANCE

25 Juicy cryptic clue: "For starters, cashew nuts" (9) SUCCULENT {CLUE+Ca...w+NUTS}*

27 Bit of light soup, not crackers (6) PHOTON {PHO}{NOT*}

28 Pieces of paper scattered often in traditional celebrations, principally (8) CONFETTI {OFTEN+In+Tr...l+Ce...s}* Semi&lit

29 Can't stand? Do exercises for beginners - try! (6) DETEST {Do}{Ex...s}{TEST}

30 Dirty tea-set broken by that man - one sensitive to taste (8) AESTHETE {HE} in {TEA+SET}* 

DOWN

1   Does Switzerland have the ultimate in chocolates? (6) CHEATS {CH}{EAT}{c...eS}

2  Soldiers wearing uniform reversing a vehicle (6) TROIKA {KI{OR}T}<={A]

3   Group activities making everyone sweat primarily? (5) GAMES Acrostic &lit

4   Screeching on the telephone, make you and I startled (7) R?U?O?S (Addendum - RAUCOUS (~ rock us) - See comments)

6   Invalid ordered to eat red bananas (9) BEDRIDDEN {B{RED*}IDDEN}

7   After due suffering, guy is fit to be trained (8) EDUCABLE {DUE*}{CABLE}

8   Protecting old King Lear, going mad at end of play (8) TUTELARY {TUT}{LEAR*}{plaY}

11 Hide second family (4) SKIN {S}{KIN}

15 He's cruel, evil, without love, wanton (9) LECHEROUS {HES+CRUEL}* over {0}

17 Ran quickly following good hit.. Wicket lost! (8) GALLOPED {G}{wALLOPED}

18 Small function to implement, basically using tables in Excel (5,3) STAND OUT {S}{TAN}{DO}{Us..g}{Ta...s}

20 Crossing borders, stopped for rest (4) EASE cEASEd

21 Most angry, cutting charge for sugar (7) SUCROSE {SU{CROSs}E}

22 Live telecast project! (6) BEETLE {BE}{TELE*}

23 Fight in East River (6) STRIVE [T]

26 Sick fellow in army division (5) UNFIT {UN{F}IT}

Reference List

College = C, Today = AD, Lake = L, Note = N, Switzerland = CH, Soldiers = OR, Second = S, Good = G, Wicket = W, Small = S, Function = TAN, Fellow = F

No 14561, Tuesday 12 Aug 2025, Vidwan

Solution to 16A has been deliberately left unsolved and is to be answered only 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 solve, if not solved by 1 PM.

Grid with 'unches' in 16A & 18A

ACROSS

1   '10' of the fingers (7) DIGITAL [CD]

5   Show Pluto's game (7) DISPLAY {DIS}{PLAY}

9   Master setter hosted by professional restaurant employee (5) CHIEF {CH{I}EF}

10 Jail inmates' food for policeman (9) CONSTABLE {CONS}{TABLE}

11 Knowing more than required on a specific subject like stupid ASCII developers (15) OVERSPECIALISED*

13 Say, as it seems to be once in a while arrangement (6) SYSTEM {SaY+aS+iT+sEeMs}

16 Coot cut tail off for one who gives something of value (8) ?S?I??O? (Addendum - ASSIGNOR {ASS}{IGNORe} - See comments)

18 Cubism reshaped extremely orthodox, mechanical melodic device (5,3) MUSIC BOX {CUBISM*}{Or...oX}

19 Decide about removed winter settlement (2-4) DE-ICED*

23 The detail about sex, clear it anyhow (8,7)  DEFINITE ARTICLE  {DEFIN{IT}E} {CLEAR+IT}*

26 English posers having right to be personal attendants of the royals (9) EQUERRIES {E}{QUER{R}IES}

27 A large and deep brook (5) ALLOW {A}{L}{LOW}

28 Soldier sitting in bar makes sense! (7) LOGICAL {LO{GI}CAL}

29 Become a completely hollow illusion (7) FALLACY {FALL}{A}{Co...lY}

DOWN

1   Court jamming openings for perverts (7) DOCTORS {DO{CT}ORS}

2   Grand covers covering royal fliers (7) GLIDERS {G}{LID{ER}S}

3   Fights hard after leader is relegated (5) TIFFS (-s)TIFF(+s)S

4   Border with Pakistan on roadside, most safe (6) LOCKER {LOC}{KERb}

5   Most foppish father has no fancy ties? (8) DANDIEST {DA{N}D}{TIES*}

6   Weekend, high-class circles, Liberal dominion (9) SATELLITE {SAT}{EL{L}ITE}

7   Rounded parts intrinsic to abdominal obesity (5) LOBES [T]

8  Give year to flourish without work (5) YIELD {Y}{wIELD}

12 Act distant, run away (5) EMOTE rEMOTE

14 Yes! Not the first house address for many! (5) YOUSE {Y}{hOUSE}

15 Election Commission and Centre almost joining in coalition basically! That's not normal! (9) ECCENTRIC {EC}{CENTRe}{In}{Co...n}

17 Spooner's loud cry to take a small mountain (8) FOOTHILL (~hoot fill to foothill)

20 It sounds the brain basically, shrub Holmes regularly consumed (7) COCHLEA {COC{HoLmEs}A}

21 Bad idea to swerve around after a slack (3,4) DIE AWAY {IDEA*}{YAW<=}

22 Prayer when creating a mountain peak (6) MASSIF {MASS}{IF} It's a Range not a peak

23 Lie to succeed, steering clear of love (5) DWELL {Do WELL}

24 Threw away with force to plunge endlessly (5) FLUNG {F}{pLUNGe}

25 Time to tender large fishing net (5) TRAWL {T}{RAW}{L}

Reference List

Sex = IT, English = E, Right = R, Large = L, Soldier = GI, Court = CT, Grand = G, Royal = ER, No = N, Liberal = L, Year = Y, Work = W, Run = R, Yes = Y, Force = F, Time = T

No 14560, Monday 11 Aug 2025, Vidwan

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

ACROSS

8   A caring aunt, mostly works from somewhere in Central America (10) NICARAGUAN {A+CARING+AUNt}*

9   Men in uniform, mostly are mighty heartless (4) ARMY {ARe}{Mi..tY}

10 Gathered publicity tool used by The Carpenters (4) ADZE (~ads)

11 Boring place that lulls devil's flares (10) DULLSVILLE*

12 King with a drink, something that Zambians value (6) KWACHA {K}{W}{A}{CHA}

14 Printing style and popular label by unbounded novelist (8) INTAGLIO {IN}{TAG}{eLIOt}

16 John Mercer's first machine (4) LOOM {LOO}{Me...r}

18 Lacking originality and slightest of tenacity, author is without work (5) TRITE {Te...y}{wRITE}

19 Left without single social media platform gem (4) ONYX {ONlY}{X}

20 Here are small exercises for practice (8) REHEARSE {HERE+ARE+S}*

21 Quarrel little about securing the one who feeds us all (6) TILLER [T<=]

23 Regularly carry small sort of latest radio receiver (7,3) CRYSTAL SET {CaRrY}{S}{LATEST*}

25 Married old boy with second family (4) MOBS {M}{OB}{S}

26 Almost like holding piece of cheap fleece (4) SCAM {S{Ch..p}AMe}

27 One by one captured leaders of the Indian right, running in excited manner (10) STIRRINGLY {S{The}{In...n}{Ri..t}{Ru...g}INGLY}

DOWN

1   Women in popular party, work for opening (6) WINDOW {W}{IN}{DO}{W}

2   Heal perhaps to become healthy! (4) HALE*

3   Cart overturned by skilled railway supervisor (10) YARDMASTER {DRAY<=}{MASTER}

4   I chip in with zest, excited after boy returned holding universal kind of nationality (4,11) DUAL CITIZENSHIP {I+CHIP+IN+ZEST}*<=>{LA{U}D}<=

5   Bishop avoided extra responsibility (4) ONUS bONUS

6   Where kids play with a clamour, good sort of polo (6,4) WADING POOL {W}{A}{DIN}{G}{POLO*}

7   Use filmy conditions like 'mix oil and water' (8) EMULSIFY*

13 Cold, soil coloured and little unwieldy (10) CUMBERSOME {C}{UMBER}{SOME}

15 Time, little time, small time or minutes for online controversy (10) TWEETSTORM {T}{WEE}{T}{S}{T}{OR}{M}

17 England charging in correct direction with single idea (3-5) O?E-?R?C? (Addendum - ONE-TRACK {ON{E}TRACK} - See comments)

22 Preserve body with half of egg and bare palms (6) EMBALM {EMBryo}{pALMs}

24 Naked mistakes on part of church (4) APSE  lAPSEs

25 Workers Union Card (4) MENU {MEN}{U}

Reference List

King = K, With = W, Popular = IN, John = LOO, Work = W, Small = S, Married = M, Old Boy = OB, Second = S, Women = W, Popular = IN, Party = DO, Universal = U, Bishop = B, Good = G, Cold = C, Time = T, Minutes = M, English = E, Union = U

Special, Sunday 10 Aug 2025, WCCC-2025 Online Round 2, Viresh Ratnakar

Three answers per commenter till 1 PM (Annotations compulsory) 

Please submit all your answers in one comment.  

(COMMENTS ENTERED WITH LESS THAN THREE ANSWERS/ANNOTATIONS WILL BE DELETED WITHOUT NOTICE, UNLESS THE COMMENTER SPECIFIES THAT IT IS A COMPENSATION FOR A REPEAT)

Enjoy.

The Hindu Cryptic on Sunday No 16, Sunday 10 Aug 2025, Dr. X

ACROSS

1   Handles ball initially, blundering in rush - that's human nature (5,3,5) FLESH AND BLOOD {HANDLES+Ball}* in {FLOOD}

8   Old chip controlling resistance in circuit (5) ORBIT {O}{R}{BIT}

9   Most indecent sot beginning to behave badly outside set (9) OBSCENEST {SOT+Be...e}* over {SCENE}

11 Endurance of rebellious group helping to defend base (10) TOLERATION {LOT<=}{RATION} over {E}

12 Short story by American making money in Samoa (4) TALA {TALe}{A}

14 Weapon in ranch over island, extremely rare (7) FIREARM {F{I}{RarE}ARM}

16 Most stunned by bum going berserk in retreat (7) NUMBEST {N{BUM*}EST}

17 Slapping and scratching, losing head (7) CUFFING sCUFFING

19 Devious reason to invite hot Portuguese lady (7) SENHORA {SEN{H}ORA*}

21 Praised a pioneer introducing revolutionary brand of small computer (4) IPAD [T<=]

22 Drug that is used for raving (10) DISTRAUGHT*

25 Fruit centre in a complex (9) NECTARINE*

26 Lay to rest in train terminus (5) INTER [T]

27 Stab in the belly perhaps and confess (5,4,4) SPILL ONES GUTS [DD]

DOWN

2   Spherical granuloma primarily excised is composed of small, rounded projections (7) LOBULAR gLOBULAR

3   Wild revelry in Australian rave (10) SATURNALIA*

4   Excitedly float in the air (5) ALOFT*

5   Eats after drinking some rum in American city (3,6) DES MOINES {D{SOME*}INES}

6   Fabricated large improvised explosive device (4) LIED {L}{IED}

7   Made a pig of oneself in public, devouring a steak heartily (7) OVERATE {OVER{A}T}{stEak}

8   Not working with unionist, too irritated by disagreement (3,2,6) OUT OF ACTION {U+TOO}*{FACTION} 

10 One sampling sandwiches, oats cooked by member for emcee (11) TOASTMASTER {T{OATS*}{M}ASTER}

13 Correcting errors in endgame, artfully wins tournament finally (10) EMENDATING {IN+ENDGAME}* over {t...nT}

15 No doubt captivated by charming old Venetian nobleman (9) MAGNIFICO {MAG{N}{IF}IC}{O}

18 Headgear and skirt worn by a model on catwalk at premiere (4,3) FLAT CAP {FL{A}{T}{Ca...k}AP}

20 Shouldn't waste time! Ruffian getting trinitrotoluene (7) OUGHTNT {tOUGH}{TNT}

23 Matter of alien revolutionary crossing border (5) THEME {ET<=} over {HEM}

24 Bit of tequila and everyone's high (4) TALL {Te...a}{ALL}

Reference List

Old = O, Resistance = R, Base = E, American = A, Island = I, Hot = H, Large = L, Unionist = U, Member = M, No = N, Model = T, Time = T

No 14559, Saturday 9 August 2025, Vidwan

Rangoli by Gowri

ACROSS

8 Function not finishing at 1 PM! (4) MODI {MODe}{1}

9 We entertained popular sex worker to operate at residence of 10 Ac (5,5) WHITE HOUSE

{W{HIT}E}{HO}{USE}

10 & 17 Get into a vacant land and start to till the remaining part for Elon's 'friend' (6,5) DONALD TRUMP {DON}{A}{LanD}{Till}{RUMP}

11 Wife with one at sea? Not a worry for smarty pants! (8) WISEACRE {W}{I}{SEA}{CaRE}
12 Most advanced young kin bearing name Mercy (8) LENIENCE {LEd}{NIE{N}CE}
14 Doctor No is back at El Salvador for UAVs (6) DRONES {DR}{NO<}{E S}

16 Family having large appliance (4) KILN {KI{L}N}
17 See 10
18 Evil drink works for believer (4) BEER {EVIL+BEER}*=BELIEVER [CA]
19 Welcomes Superman, hides blunder! (4-2) MESS-UP [T]
21 Father had almost left with "Good Morning" to the site of latest terrorist attack (8) PAHALGAM {PA}{HAd}{L}{G}{AM}
23 Last letter had left Poles disheartened! Solution - Leader of Ukraine! (8) ZELENSKY {ZE{L}E}{N S}{KeY}

26 Nadal, the French fighter! (6) RAFALE {RAFA}{LE}

27 Their past is akin, sadly (10) PAKISTANIS*
28 Love sign and sound of swine (4) OINK {O}{INK}

DOWN
1 Snubbed in love, spirit has short time to integrate (10) HOMOGENISE Anno not clear {HOMe}{O}GENI{S}E} See comments
2 Mend country, without new mania (8) FIXATION {FIX}{nATION}
3 Second day in small, northern part of Scandinavia (6) SWEDEN {S}{WE{D}E}{N}

4 Struggle with belief (4) VIEW {VIE}{W}
5 Hammered speed nut became stiff (6,2) TENSED UP*
6 My French meat, crossing borders to city state (6) MONACO {MON}{bACOn}

7 At times, it is fair for old ruler (4) TSAR {iT iS fAiR}
13 Stock English witticism (5) EQUIP {E}{QUIP}
15 Glean lie by casual staring (10) EYEBALLING*
17 Class prepares, gets ready for printing (8) TYPESETS {TYPE}{SETS}
18 Croaker's strong Irish accented English as heard by Spooner (8) BULLFROG {Spoonerism of FULL BROGUE}

20 No second class coin money (6) SPECIE {SPECIEs}
22 Where synagogue hides apostasy? (6) HERESY [T]
24 Musk expresses love for a style (4) ELAN {EL(-o+A}N}
25 Jerk residing in Turkey, Ankara (4) YANK [T]

REFERENCE LIST

One=1, Wife=W, Name=N, Large=L, Father=Pa, Left=L, Good=G, Morning=AM, Last Letter=Zee, Poles= N(orth), S(outh), The (in) French=Le, Love=O, New=N, Second=S, Day=D, Northern=N, With=W, My (in) French=Mon, English=E.

No 14558, Friday 08 Aug 2025, Vidwan

Rangoli by Gowri

RULES FOR POSTING COMMENTS FOR FRIDAY ONLY

All those who are not regular commenters but who are rookie commenters or silent followers of the blog are requested to post answers with annotations in the comments section. In your own interest please avoid looking up the answers from the interactive version. Don't hesitate to post your annotations, in case you make a mistake in the annotation someone will correct it with the right annotation.

PLEASE NOTE, SOLUTIONS WITHOUT ATTEMPTING THE ANNOTATIONS WILL BE DELETED

Each commenter is requested to post only 5 answers thereby giving others also a chance to participate. Please provide all your answers in one comment.

Regular solvers/Veterans can post 1 answer each, but after 11 AM only.

Thanks for the response, here's the regular blog.

ACROSS

9   Champion Scot with old fashioned values (9) VICTORIAN {VICTOR}{IAN}

10 Flow controller setting volume for uniform rate (5) VALVE VAL(-u+v)VE

11 Old soldier positively welcomes work after retiring (5) SEPOY {Y{OP}ES}<=

12 Boredom - passing university, appearing in test once in three years (9) TRIENNIAL {TRI{ENNuI}AL}

13 Where venting of lava can abruptly, naturally occur at first? (7) VOLCANO Acrostic &lit

14 Avoid or ban it as fashion! (7) ABSTAIN*

16 Screen for Luigi Groto? (8,5) VENETIAN BLIND [DD]

21 For instance, Vatican City board, could be overbalanced (7) ENCLAVE {ENCLAVE+BOARD}*=OVERBALANCED [CA] 

24 Turned away in time! Run out declared! (7) AVERTED AVER(-r+t)TED

25 Millions welcome faceless cons and rebels (9) MAVERICKS {M}{AVE}{tRICKS}

27 Old Nick settled on a number (5) SATAN {SAT}{A}{N}

28 Heart of antelope and a bovid (5) ELAND {antELope}{AND}

29 Atypical mad don (3,3,3) ODD MAN OUT [MAD+DON}* [RA]

DOWN

1   Deceptive first lady had visa rejected (7) EVASIVE {EV{VISA<=}E}

2   Paul aces, swinging shoulder bones (8) SCAPULAE* 

3   Arab comedy about a police contraption (4,6) BODY CAMERA {ARAB+COMEDY}*

4   Six run outs disoriented India Masters (8) VIRTUOSI {VI}{R}{OUTS*}{I}

5   Active, new force of volunteers has provided a far-left movement (6) ANTIFA {A}{N}{T{IF}A}

6   Range in Slovenia (4) OVEN [T]

7   What is brew in Hebrew is same as tin in Latin! (6) ULTIMA [DBE]

8   Disguising and arousing evil in good (7) VEILING {EVIL*}{IN}{G}

15 Most versatile works leading to right medal in US Army (6,4) SILVER STAR {VERSATILe}*{Ri..t} Second S from?

17 One flank of vehicle floating in Red Sea (8) NEARSIDE*

18 Scratch vote turning into record (8) NOTATION {NOTA}{INTO*}

19 Misguidedly revere male painter from Holland (7) VERMEER {REVERE+M}*

20 Love to present dragonfly, say (7) ODONATE {0}{DONATE}

22 Limed, salted eggs prepared for Vice Admiral (6) CAVIAR {CAVIAR+LIMED}*=VICE ADMIRAL [CA]

23 English Supreme Court's line on conditional security bond (6) ESCROW {E}{SC}{ROW}

26 Bit bored of working again (4) REDO [T]

Reference List

Volume = V, Uniform = U, Work = OP, University = U, Time = T, Run = R, Millions = M, Number = N, India = I, Active = A, New = N, Good = G, Right = R, Male = M, English = E

No 14557, Thursday 07 Aug 2025, Gridzilla

Welcome to the new THC setter Gridzilla. Bouquets and brickbats welcome.

Solution to 2D has been deliberately left unsolved and is to be answered only 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 solve, if not solved by 1 PM.

ACROSS

8   Facts twisted a bit? (4) DATA {A}{TAD}<=

9   Order lunch perhaps, including starter of dumplings (5) MEDAL {ME{Du...s}AL}

10 Grass is basically recreational - enjoy every drag (4) REED Acrostic

11 Part of mixed fraction having one number missing? (6) FACTOR FRACTiOn* 

12 Discovered best hotel - pricy, and private (8) ESOTERIC {bESt}{hOTEl}{pRICy}

13 They have hopes of getting peace initially, in rocky sierras (8) ASPIRERS {AS{Pe..e}IRERS*}

15 Nymphs love to look at butt of Adonis (6) OREADS {0}{READ}{a...iS}

17 Manipulation of American company by Indian state, is over (7) MASSAGE {GE}<=>{ASSAM<=}

19 Boss went out with wife and apprentice (7) STUDENT {STUD}{wENT}

22 Remove wrapping of fuse & cables to get current (6) USABLE {fUSe}{cABLEs}

24 Like canines in Manhattan need - meals mostly cooked (8) ENAMELED {NEED+MEALs}* What's the role of Manhattan? Ok, Manhattan is indicator for US Spelling

26 Bar owner is drunk all day and not active (8) LANDLADY {ALL+DAY+aND}

28 Plan of cycling team: winning competition ultimately (6) DESIGN {(+de)DESI(-de)}{w...nG}{c...oN}

30 First of all, men actually like erotic sex (4) MALE Acrostic

31 Big lake? Sounds scary (5) EERIE (~erie)

32 Report is from Sweden possibly - not Germany (4) NEWS SWEdeN*

DOWN

1   Hot stuff turning up in Lonavala (4) LAVA [T<=]

2   "Mark goes," says Spooner, "to get some baked goodies" (8) ?A?T?I?S (Addendum PASTRIES (~trace pees to pastries - See comments))

3   Fine cream whipped with a little egg (6) AMERCE {CREAM*}{Egg}

4   Marketing jingle is bad (6) (7) ADVERSE {AD}{VERSE} See comments regarding Enu

5   Remove from below? (5,3) ELBOW OUT {BELOW}* [RA]

6   Country has oil, reportedly (6) GREECE (~grease)

7   Cheese seller made Limburger sandwiches (4) DELI [T]

14 Cracks seen after reviewing bridges (5) SNAPS<=

16 What starts in discos and night clubs everywhere? (5) DANCE Acrostic Semi&lit

18 Renegades managed to deliver ecstasy and explosives (8) GRENADES ReNEGADES*

20 & 29 A robe Gwen & Doris used repeatedly (8,4) DRESSING GOWN {GWEN+DORIS}* Letter Bank

21 From work, Roy went around the city (3,4) NEW YORK [T<=]

23 Huge debt is hurting this economy, eh? (6) BUDGET {BUDGET+EH}* = {HUGE DEBT} [CA]

25 Pulled top off, getting confused (6) ADDLED pADDLED

27 Horse in fair maybe overlooked periodically (4) ARAB {fAiR+mAyBe}

29 See 20D

Reference List

Number = N, Wife = W, Active = A, Germany = DE, Marketing = AD, Ecstasy = E

No 14556, Wednesday 06 Jul 2025, Crescent

Solution to 25A has been deliberately left unsolved and is to be answered only 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 solve, if not solved by 1 PM.

Clues of 7D and 11D have got interchanged

ACROSS

8   Wage battle at last instant shelling coasts of Lebu (9) EMOLUMENT {b...lE}{MO{LebU}MENT}

9   Metallic gold hinges in clips (4) IRON {I{OR<=}N}

10 Toper crew's most wasted Australian chaps? (3-3,9) TWO-POT SCREAMERS  {TOPER+CREWS+MOST+A}*  Semi&lit

12 Denounces case charging former partners (9) EXECRATES {CRATE} in {EXES}

13 Matter remains on appeal (5) ISSUE {IS}{SUE}

14 Faint impression of connection with line in the middle (7) INKLING {INK{L}ING} (Correction - (-l)INK(+l)LING - See comments)

17 Roving swindler back to snare enthusiastic one (7) NOMADIC {CON<=} over {MAD}{1}

19 Drop dead with desire (5) DITCH {D}{ITCH}

21 Bones from a fish piercing rounded object (9) METACARPI {A}{CARP} in {ITEM<=}

24 Chopping rule to pound raw meat blend (11,4) PORTMANTEAU WORD {R+TO+POUND+RAW+MEAT}*

25 Month to be idle (4) ?O?N (Addendum - MOON [DD] - See comments)

26 One referred to habit inspired by adult education, in short, turning point (9) ADDRESSEE {DRESS} in {A}{EDu...n<=}{E}

DOWN

1   Become frightened when it mysteriously died in wake (3,3,4,2) GET THE WIND UP {WHEN+IT}*{D} in {GET UP}

2   Style of jumper once, almost polka dancing (4,4) POLO NECK {ONCE+POLKa}*

3   Odd time for speaker's talk (6) RUMOUR {RUM}{(~hour)OUR}

4   Some service tips in table tennis to gain edge (3,3) TEA SET {Ta..e}{EASE}{Te..s}

5   Timber in ship second to none, not wanting ordinary sort at sea (8) STERNSON {S}{NoNE+SORT}*

6   Supplement section from affidavit, am in memorandum (7,1) VITAMIN M [T]

7   Babies raised and left end up with rich relatives (12) STEPCHILDREN {STEP}{L+END+RICH}* (Correction - {PETS<=}{I+END+RICH}* - See comments)

11 Wretched holes? Very! (6) HOVELS {HOLES+V}* &lit

15 Hellish stink in void (8) INHUMANE {IN{HUM}ANE} Stink/Hum? See comments

16 New parts matched in design blow a gasket (2,6) GO MENTAL {ME{N}T} in {GOAL}

18 Rodent lifting its front half before creative inspiration takes over (8) DORMOUSE {RODent<=}{M{O}USE}

20 Slip under cot ultimately in dread (6) TERROR {ERROR}<=>{coT}

22 Tax nets close in (6) TRENDY  {TR{END}Y}

23 Agencies united in specific situations (6) CAUSES {CA{U}SES}

Reference List

Gold = OR, Australian = A, Line = L, Dead = D, Rule = R, Adult = A, Point = E, Died = D, Second = S, Ordinary = O, Left = L, Very = V, New = N, Over = O, United = U

No 14555, Tuesday 05 Aug 2025, Incognito

Solution to 5D has been deliberately left unsolved and is to be answered only 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 solve, if not solved by 1 PM.

ACROSS

8   Tailless mouse scampering and wrestling (4) SUMO MOUSe*

9   Devil who reformed to become Santa? (5) SATAN* 

10 American tax authority includes king and irritates (4) IRKS {IR{K}S}

11 Father and a couple of daughters get the French means of boat propulsion (6) PADDLE {PA}{DD}{LE}

12 Game to sing about drink (8) SPORTING {S{PORT}ING}

13 Deploy National Guard in grotto in south east to rummage for usable stuff (8) SCAVENGE {S{CAVE}{NG}E}

15 Desire to harm mummy with parasites (6) MALICE {MA}{LICE}

17 Boy abused badly for smears (7) BEDAUBS {B}{ABUSED}*

19 A brain is confused about a sea (7) ARABIAN{A}{R{A}BIAN*} 

22 Witch estimates, to some extent, it needs to be scratched (6) ITCHES [T]

24 Left without parents (8) ORPHANED [E]

26 Things to be thrown usually purchased before marriage (8) CONFETTI [CD]

28 Hiding behind stone, alien makes spaceship engine (6) ROCKET {ET}<=>{ROCK}

30 Only one part of a shoe (4) SOLE [DD]

31 Post office has exciting picture (5) PHOTO {P{HOT}O}

32 It's right on the map, perhaps, before Anglia (4) EAST [C&DD]

DOWN

1   Island near Florida having copper and barium (4) CUBA {CU}{BA}

2   Avoid going around carrying student in Massachusetts and European region (8) MOLDAVIA {O{L}DAVI}* in {MA} 

3   Since bird is back on the ship,... (6) ASTERN {AS}{TERN}

4   Wrongly heats in ship and hides (7) STASHES {S{HEATS*}S}

5   Whistle blower in school unit with queen (8) ?N?O?M?R ()

6   Flying pilots and weapon (6) PISTOL*

7   Peel's small relative (4) SKIN {S}{KIN}

14 He's in court having captured a conman (5) CHEAT {C{HE}T} over {A}

16 Hundred rushed with some enthusiasm to get lifting device (5) CRANE {C}{RAN}{En...m}

18 Violently busts operations in boarding places (3,5) BUS STOPS {BUSTS}*{OPS}

20 British farms' subordinate units (8) BRANCHES {B}{RANCHES}

21 Type of lizard, perhaps, from can returned in back room (7) MONITOR {TIN<=} in {ROOM<=}

23 Raised that boy following Theodore (6) HEFTED {HE}{F}{TED} 

25 Average offspring becomes a clergyman (6) PARSON {PAR}{SON} 

27 Bachelor wearing specs has European instrument (4) OBOE {O{B}O}{E}

29 Removing curs from Syracuse redevelopment? Not hard... (4) EASY SYrAcusE*

Reference List

King = K, Daughter = D, The in French = LE, Boy = B, Alien = ET, Student = L, Ship = SS, Small = S, Court = CT, Hundred = C, British = B, Following = F, Bachelor = B, Specs = OO, European = E