No 14686, Thursday 08 Jan 2026, Pixie Dust

Solution to 20A 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   Difficult and incorrigible in conversation (6) KNOTTY (~naughty)

8   Nag, i.e in humour? (8) BADINAGE {NAG+IE}* [RA]

9   Sybarite professor involved in larceny (8) HEDONIST {HE{DON}IST}

10 Fate exposed Nora, Adam & Mina (6) ORDAIN {nORa}{aDAm}{mINa}

11 Restore extremely rare electronic device (8) REKINDLE {RarE}{KINDLE}

12 A company is basically monitoring prejudice (6) AGEISM {A}{GE}{IS}{Mo...g}

13 So, this annihilator unfortunately took fishes. Sad! (4,2,5)  KISS OF DEATH {KISS OF DEATH + SO}*={TOOK+FISHES+SAD} [CA]

18 Faceless pitcher follows nationalist for a bite (6) NIBBLE {kIBBLE}<=>{N}

20 One who just made a veiled promise? (8) N?W?Y?E? 

22 Petty snub (6) SLIGHT [DD]

23 Intrude bird cycling around a croc in confusion (8) ENCROACH {(-h)EN(+h)H} over {A+CROC}*

24 Hits back on curt ones angrily (8) COUNTERS*

25 Throwing son out in climax (6) ENDING sENDING

DOWN

1   At home greet amazing figure (7) INTEGER {IN}{GREET}*

2   Boil & stir bananas and cones (8) STROBILI {BOIL+STIR}*

3   Countless parts of humid, airy motors capsizing (6) MYRIAD [T<=]

4   Recommend Bill's chartered accountant to be admitted by referendum (8) ADVOCATE {AD}{VO{CA}TE}

5   Some swooned getting nervous (2,4) ON EDGE [T]

6   Opposing saga in stereotypical packaging (7) AGAINST [T]

8   Repeatedly used fibre stung one apt to drop things (13) BUTTERFINGERS {FIBRE+STUNG}* [Letter Bank]

14 Climber's second little brew packs bit of punch (8) SWEETPEA {S}{WEE}{T{Pu..h}EA}

15 Your archaic designer uplifted small hormone producers (8) THYROIDS {THY}{{DIOR<=}{S}

16 Prophet of Doom Spooner declares, "Jack's partner's shrinking!" (7) KILLJOY (~jill coy to killjoy)

17 Fall of French essence (7) DESCENT {DE}{SCENT}

19 Kicks off business enterprises, global investments & networking schemes from the beginning (6) BEGINS Acrostic

21 Wait! Cake ends bitten off evenly? Sinful! (6) WICKED {WaIt+CaKe+EnDs}

Reference List

Company = GE, Nationalist = N, Son = S, At home = IN, Bill = AD, Second = S, Small = S, Of in French = DE