No 14681, Friday 02 Jan 2026, Avtaar

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

1   Log on-line? (6) RECORD {RE}{CORD}

4   Substitute works after drink (8) SUPPLANT {PLANT}<=>{SUP}

9   Lathe operator's radio receiver jammed by electrical resistance (6) TURNER {TU{R}NER}

10 It keeps one going, perhaps (8) LAXATIVE [CD]

11 Promiscuous funky offender's left abandoned in high tides (14) INDISCRIMINATE {IN}{DIS{CRIMINAl}TE*}

13 Deer getting behind chaps causing annoyance (10) HARASSMENT {HART} over {ASS}{MEN}

14 Dope's dumped in idol (4) HERO HEROin

16 Silent dog scratching backside with energy (4) MUTE {MUTt}{E}

18 Drum played in Rome along with tuba (10) TAMBOURINE {IN+ROME+TUBA}*

21 Desi from Bay Area, say, blowing lid off crime in Canadian complex (6-8) INDIAN-AMERICAN {cRIME+IN+CANADIAN}*

23 Troubles amidst tense, long unending state of frenzy (8) TAILSPIN {AILS} in {T}{PINe}

24 Discharge of lava is toxic (6) SALIVA*

25 Source of aggravated unending distress, sadly (8) DISASTER {Ag...d+DISTRESs}*

26 Demanding wife finally faced with divorce (6) SEVERE {wifE}<=>{SEVER}

DOWN

1   Roll from a high place after climbing (4) ROTA {A}{TOR}<=

2   Investigator's ring stolen by crook (7) CORONER {COR{O}NER}

3   Most tall and thin afflicted trees having to wither away (8) REEDIEST {TREES}* over {DIE}

5   Legal claim covered in a letter from Greece about backing Italian island cannot be transferred (11) UNALIENABLE {UNA}{LIEN}{ELBA<=}

6   Still cold wearing Highlander's robe (6) PLACID {PLA{C}ID}

7   Fire in a blazing match (7) ANIMATE {IN+A}*{MATE}

8   So wild, free, hot, welcoming - very bare (9) THEREFORE {FREE+HOT}* over {vERy}

12 Chap stealing tiara cycled behind legislator's relative (11) COMPARATIVE {COVE} over {(-ti)ARA(+ti)TI}<=>{MP}

13 Clumsy, famished bats clutching top of tree (3-6) HAM-FISTED {HAMFIS{Tree}ED*}

15 Change overwhelms the Italian hack (8) MUTILATE {MUT{IL}ATE}

17 Model whirls stuffed toys (7) TEDDIES {T}{EDDIES}

19 Island chief taking over Government base for project (7) IMAGINE{I}{MA{G}IN}{E}

20 Frame leaking hard syrupy blackcurrant flavouring (6) CASSIS ChASSIS

22 The world is so long (4) VALE [DD]

Reference List

On = RE, Drink = SUP, Electrical resistance = R, Funky = IN, Energy = E, Tense = T, Cold = C, Chap = COVE, The in Italian = IL, Model = T, Government = G, Base = E, Hard = H

No 14680, Thursday 01 Jan 2026, Hypatia

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Artwork by Prasanna

Rangoli by Gowri

Solution to 1D 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

7   Hunt securing a Persian tiger in tunnels underground (8) CATACOMB {C{A}{CAT<=}OMB}

9   Jailer suppressing nationalist in country (6) TURKEY TURnKEY

10 Former TN Chief Minister in back-to-back articles (4) ANNA {AN}{AN<=}

11 Some garbage collectors adding to unpleasant delays, per Spooner (10) LITTERBAGS (~bitter lags to litterbags)

12 Empty vessels - one inside another (6) VACANT {VA{CAN}T}

14 One showing resistance joined in home managed by rector (8) OHMMETER {OHM{MET}E*}{R}

15 Late run in place that's between two extremes (7,6) NEUTRAL GROUND {LATE+RUN}* [RA]

18 Images containing special updates on WhatsApp, say (8) STATUSES {STATU{S}ES}

20 Thanks politicians restricting introduction of rate hikes (6) TRAMPS {T{Rate}A}{MPS}

21 Purposely adapted to absorb volume in excess (10) OVERSUPPLY {O{V}ERSUPPLY*}

22 Boy grabbing ring quickly (4) SOON {SO{O}N}

23 Every second score in this debut of cricket commentator (6) CRITIC {sCoRe+In+ThIs}{Cr...t}

24 Gin packed in wooden carton (5,3) TETRA PAK {TE{TRAP}AK} This is a Brand Name

DOWN

1   Support unit given to soldier protecting American money (8) ?A?N?A?N (Addendum - MAINTAIN {MA{1}N}{T{A}IN} - See comments)

2   God of love keeps all men active basically (4) KAMA Acrostic

3   Tumbler picked up regularly from the club lodge (6) GOBLET {ThE+cLuB+lOdGe}<=

4   Flag bowler consuming time on hand (8) STREAMER {S{T}{R}EAMER}

5   Abba, scratching head, unclear about material left behind after a star's death (4,6) CRAB NEBULA {aBBA+UNCLEAR}*

6   Dog and black bird (6) BEAGLE {B}{EAGLE}

8   Something that has no limit - Pi, perhaps? (10,3) BOTTOMLESS PIT {PIt} Definition by example

13 Corrupt leader at bar negotiating about union (10) ADULTERATE {LEADER+AT+T}* over {U}

16 Store procures our cereal boxes (8) RESOURCE [T]

17 Official Tamil podcast? (8) DIPLOMAT {TAMIL+POD}*

19 Local travel mostly arranged before noon (6) TAVERN {TRAVEl}*{N}

20 Sporty star posing in these clandestine meetings with a pro (6) TRYSTS {TRYSTS+A+PRO}=SPORTY STAR

22 Fraudulent activity's part of this campaign (4) SCAM [T]

Reference List

Rector = R, Special = S, Thanks = TA, Volume = V, American = A, Gin = TRAP, Time = T, Hand = R, Black = B, Bar = T, Noon = N