The Hindu Crossword on Sunday No 37, Sunday 04 Jan 2026, Arden

ACROSS

1   Inside the animal enclosure grass is not even (6) SPOTTY {S{POT}TY}

4   Stress over credentials results in disaster (8) ACCIDENT {ACC{ID}ENT}

10 The thing about an animal is an ordeal (9) NIGHTMARE {THING}*{MARE}

11 Extremely tidy without an architectural support (5) SOCLE {SO CLEan}

12 Issue of a cycling sea cow (7) EMANATE (+e)EMANATE(-e)

13 Investor getting into a hybrid fruit (7) TANGELO {T{ANGEL}O}

14 Empower home - that's outstanding (5) INDUE {IN}{DUE}

15 Criminal theft - if I can get midway in between first and the hundredth (8) FIFTIETH*

18 Gold turn over - wire in the middle is so long (2,6) AU REVOIR {AU}{OVER<=}{wIRe}

20 Persuasion for a Scot openly drinking wine (5) CREDO {sC{RED}Ot}

23 Only way to drink tea in the garden (7) ORCHARD {O}{R{CHAR}D} 

25 Remove - a small doubt expressed (4,3) WEED OUT (~ wee doubt)

26 Fear as Republicans go in late (5) DREAD {D{R}EAD}

27 We solve, sure shot (9) OURSELVES*

28 It's a headache for Afghan government to cover up (8) HANGOVER [T]

29 Playing fields - Somerset and India picking all sides (6) STADIA {So...eT}{AnD}{IndiA}

DOWN

1   Lacking enthusiasm to back such type of characters (8) SANSERIF {SANS}{FIRE<=}

2   May run aground, be watchful (2,5) ON GUARD*

3   After evacuating thrice, four of them have a chat (4-1-4) TETE-A-TETE {Th..cE}{Th..cE}-{A}-{Th..cE}{Th..cE}

5   Maybe refracted, shows a piece of furniture (5,2,7) CHEST OF DRAWERS*

6   Glib sense of humour displayed by a dramatist (5) IBSEN [T]

7   Not even easy to avoid the reversion of property to the state (7) ESCHEAT {EaSy}{CHEAT}

8   Peak coverage on top of milk shake (6) TREMOR {T{RE}{Milk}OR}

9   Cover for retreating enemy - do go around with optimism to the end of Africa (4,2,4,4) CAPE OF GOOD HOPE {CAP}{FOE<=}{DO+GO}*{HOPE}

16 Cold supplement after change of hands within (9) INCLEMENT INC(-r+l)LEMENT

17 Another suspect admitted arson in the centre where oil rigs are found (5,3) NORTH SEA {ANOTHER}* over {arSon}

19 Relatively one who's not so tidy (7) UNCLEAN {UNCLE}{AN}

21 Progressed with cycling delegate (7) EVOLVED (-d)EVOLVE(+d)D

22 A question had come up on the seat for a rider (6) HOWDAH {HOW}{HAD<=}

24 German car, zero sound (5) AUDIO {AUDI}{0}

Reference List

Grass = POT, Home = IN, Only = O, Tea = CHAR, Republican = R, On = RE, Hands = R,L