No 14694, Monday 19 Jan 2026, Arden

Solution to 2D 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

1   The average Joe somehow entertains them (3,2,3,6) MAN IN THE STREET*

10 He owns stock like in the middle of the sea, mostly (5) MASAI {M{AS}AIn}

11 SOS once briefly for getting amorous here at the centre (9) KISSINGER {KISSING}{hERe}

12 Long to get into coach, not in one of the airways (7) TRACHEA {TR{ACHE}Ain}

13 Harry liaises to get some lining material (7) SILESIA*

14 Money is repatriated from Iran, I'd say (5) DINAR [T<=]

16 Instrument protected in the middle of winter is undamaged (9) INVIOLATE {wIN{VIOLA}TEr}

19 Strangely I'm told, even beards become grey for these people (3,6) OLD TIMERS {IM+TOLD}*{bEaRdS} Semi&lit

20 French Nobel laureate backed Bush (5) SUMAC<=

22 Japanese hostesses sent out - sent out of housing estates, perhaps (7) GEISHAS {HousInG+EStAteS}*

25 Snake becomes Greek lover as adjoining characters swap first place (7) MEANDER (-l+m)MEANDER

27 Thing to change before midnight - have some cover for retirement (9) NIGHTGOWN {THING*}{niGht}{OWN}

28 Some of the original image reflected in the fashion capital (5) MILAN [T<=]

29 Fancy coat originates from classification (14) CATEGORISATION* 

DOWN

2   Sat on the fence on a plot filled with soil (9) A?S?A?N?D (Addendum - ABSTAINED {A}{B{STAIN}ED} - See comments)

3   Subject of a cycling holy man in India (5) IRISH (+i)IRISH(-i)

4   Accept a raise and go away (4,1,4) TAKE A HIKE [DD]

5   Reduces like in rear view (5) EASES {AS} in {SEE<=}

6   Twitter is overactive - that amounts to a lot (9) TRILLIONS {TRILL}{I{ON}S}

7   Regularly held - agrees on margins (5) EDGES {hElD+aGrEeS}

8   Stoop shows mistake in time card (7) TERRACE {T}{ERR}{ACE}

9   Displayed emotion over book and encouraged both sides (6) EMOTED {TOME<=}{En...eD}

15 Get chairs arranged for a parliamentary building (9) REICHSTAG*

17 Checks the way people get into habits (9) VESTMENTS {VE{ST}{MEN}TS}

18 Moving drama on sick, old animal... (9) ARMADILLO {DRAMA*}{ILL}{O}

19 ...only about caring for the living (7) ORGANIC {O}{CARING}*

21 My leaders only need another crown (6) CORONA {COR}{Only}{Need}{An...r}

23 Block ready to be rolled - informing others (5) INGOT [T]

24 Small dog has nothing to eat, needs a scrub (5) SCOUR {S}{C{0}UR}

26 Own admission in verbatim - daily reviewed (5) ADMIT [T<=]

Reference List

Time = T, Way = ST(street), Old = O, Only = OMy = COR, Small = S