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.

ACROSS

1   Log on-line? (6)

4   Substitute works after drink (8)

9   Lathe operator's radio receiver jammed by electrical resistance (6)

10 It keeps one going, perhaps (8)

11 Promiscuous funky offender's left abandoned in high tides (14)

13 Deer getting behind chaps causing annoyance (10)

14 Dope's dumped in idol (4)

16 Silent dog scratching backside with energy (4)

18 Drum played in Rome along with tuba (10)

21 Desi from Bay Area, say, blowing lid off crime in Canadian complex (6-8)

23 Troubles amidst tense, long unending state of frenzy (8)

24 Discharge of lava is toxic (6)

25 Source of aggravated unending distress, sadly (8)

26 Demanding wife finally faced with divorce (6)

DOWN

1   Roll from a high place after climbing (4)

2   Investigator's ring stolen by crook (7)

3   Most tall and thin afflicted trees having to wither away (8)

5   Legal claim covered in a letter from Greece about backing Italian island cannot be transferred (11)

6   Still cold wearing Highlander's robe (6)

7   Fire in a blazing match (7)

8   So wild, free, hot, welcoming - very bare (9)

12 Chap stealing tiara cycled behind legislator's relative (11)

13 Clumsy, famished bats clutching top of tree (3-6)

15 Change overwhelms the Italian hack (8)

17 Model whirls stuffed toys (7)

19 Island chief taking over Government base for project (7)

20 Frame leaking hard syrupy blackcurrant flavouring (6)

22 The world is so long (4)