No 14702, Wednesday 28 Jan 2026, Afterdark

Solution to 19D 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   Thrissur taxicab carrying extra liability (6) SURTAX [T]

4   Second coffee's early essentially (6) LATTER {LATTE}{eaRly}

8   Two characters swap places in military wedding (7) MARTIAL {MAR(I<=>T}AL} Definition in the middle. Clue leads to MARITAL

9   Show bearcat's movement (7) CABARET*

11 From Paris; free to consult (10) DELIBERATE {DE}{LIBERATE}

12 Tree's leaves given to Kelvin (4) TEAK {TEA}{K}

13 Situation worries public, people beaten, rise in the end (5) SCENE [Tail Acrostic]

14 Without monitors, last period was arranged on celestial object (8) ASTEROID {lAST+pERIOD}*

16 Fancy composition by fine worker at East perhaps (8) FANTASIA {F}{ANT}{ASIA}

18 Topless model is substantial (5) AMPLE sAMPLE

20 Grow back (4) REAR [DD}

21 Trouble on joint for dressmaker (10) SEAMSTRESS {STRESS}<=>{SEAM}

23 Arranged medical units of ten (7) DECIMAL*

24 Native extremist (7) RADICAL [DD]

25 View map (6) SURVEY [DD]

26 Tease in X backed by timeline with energy (6) NETTLE {TEN<=}{T}{L}{E}

DOWN

1   Disgrace for impostor having ecstasy (5) SHAME {SHAM}{E}

2   Rope used in ship's latrine is frayed (7) RATLINE*

3   Intrusion of spies from the east, seen as trouble on understanding (9) AWARENESS {RAW<=} in {SEEN+AS}*

5   Monkey goes over current fast (5) APACE {AP{AC}E}

6   Art director leaves Cred, ill-treated as deserter (7)  TRAITOR {ART+dIrecTOR}*

7   Soldiers' old lover's a source to question again (2-7) RE-EXAMINE {RE}{EX}{A}{MINE}

10 Indian king to open meat counter across a highway corner (9) MAHARAJAH {AJAR}{HAM}<= over {A} and [Hi...y}

13 Irregular sleep has troubled son (9) SHAPELESS {SLEEP+HAS}*{S}

15 Sexually ambiguous person deceased in shift (9) TRANSLATE {TRANS}{LATE}

17 After leaving electric vehicle, retriever ran to another dog (7) TERRIER RETRIevER*

19 Last exercise with policeman's on street (7) P?R?I?T ()

21 Order cold beer after some starter (5) SCALE {C}{ALE}<=>{Some}

22 Carve up small rabbit (5) SHARE {S}{HARE}

Reference List

From in French = DE, Kelvin = K, Fine = F, Time = T, Line = L, Energy = E, Ecstasy = E, Current = AC, Soldier = RE(Royal Engineers), Old lover = EX, Son = S, Cold = C, Small = S