The Hindu Cryptic on Sunday No 38, Sunday 11 Jan 2026, Incognito

ACROSS

8   Long piece of mozzarella cheese (4) ACHE [T]

9   A mark for rejection or for approval in a poll (5) CROSS [DD]

10 Turn time back and give "Out" (4) EMIT <=

11 Lady about to be married going around port producing animal restraint (6) BRIDLE {BRID{L}E}

12 Jack, for example, and American mother getting spice (8) CARDAMOM {CARD}{A}{MOM}

13 When students leave alliance, take in a couple of females and engage (8) AFFIANCE A(-ll+ff)FFIANCE

15 Two girls getting into African river results in trivial complaint (6) NIGGLE {NI{GG}LE}

17 During goodbye in Spain, picks a violin string for slow performances (7) ADAGIOS {AD{A}{G}IOS}

19 Google is confused about unknown subject (7) GEOLOGY {GOOGLE}*{Y}

22 In time, river starting to exceed highest point (6) APOGEE {A{PO}GE}{Ex...d}

24 Move on Line of Control by a truck easily at first (8) RELOCATE {RE}{LOC}{A}{Tr..k}{Ea...y}

26 Rebellious Masai rob divine nourishment (8) AMBROSIA*

28 Managed sum, I heard, for payment to kidnapper (6) RANSOM {RAN}{(~some)SUM}

30 Softly pull and block (4) PLUG {P}{LUG}

31 Mountains in South America and Spain (5) ANDES {AND}{ES}

32 Place first trap in badger's den (4) SETT {SET}{Trap}

DOWN

1   Mark's automobile (4) SCAR {S}{CAR}

2   Observe dead fish and young plant (8) SEEDLING {SEE}{D}{LING}

3   Hide South Indian by noon (6) SCREEN {S}{CREE}{N}

4   Illegally obtained eggs can be cooked in this way (7) POACHED [DD]

5   Alienate sergeant terribly (8) ESTRANGE*

6   A measure of liquor covering bread in city (6) PENANG {PE{NAN}G}

7   Wandering Somali mother leaving storage building (4) SILO SOmaLI*

14 Tired of "...Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, ..." (3,2) FED UP {D}{E}{F}<=

16 Legal to run away (5) LEGIT {LEG IT}

18 Organisation of American States adopts poem abroad (8) OVERSEAS {O{VERSE}AS}

20 Playing chess with half of London in legendary creature's residence (4,4) LOCH NESS {CHESS+LONdon}

21 Idiotically fool around, releasing UFO in Florida city (7) ORLANDO {foOL+AROuND}*

23 Shed anger after getting attached initially (6) GARAGE {RAGE}<=>{Ge...g}{At...d}

25 Musician ruining styli around beginning of refrain (6) LYRIST {STYLI}* over {Re...n}

27 Maiden gets beer in capital city (4) MALE {M}{ALE}

29 Selects extraordinary spot (4) OPTS*

Reference List

Port = L, Student = L, Female = F, Girl = G, Goodbye in Spanish  ADIOS< Violin String = G, Unknown = Y, On = RE, Line of Control = LOC, Softly = P, Spain = ES, Dead = D, South = S, Noon = N, Bread = NAN, Maiden = M