No 14276, Wednesday 25 Feb 2026, Incognito

Solution to 24A 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

8   Flier gets right drink (4) BEER {BEE}{R}

9   State: "After saint, African leader gets domed memorial (5) STUPA {UP}<=>{ST}{Af...n}

10 Expression of regret in Australasia (4) ALAS [HIPS]

11 Retired Red Army chief's earlier sex, perhaps (6) GENDER {RED<=}<=>{GEN}

12 Taped bus damaged in capital (8) BUDAPEST*

13 Astronaut brandishes mace in interval (8) SPACEMAN {SP{MACE*}AN}

15 Javan returns with love for Indian (6) NAVAJO {JAVAN<=}{O}

17 Small farm hired out by my detective's brother (7) MYCROFT {CROFT}<=>{MY}

19 Tempter from Eden may be present (7) SERPENT*

22 Holds Greek snakes (6) GRASPS {GR}{ASPS}

24 In bygone times, you entered river and shed (8) O?T?O?S? 

26 Building fort around this place instead (8) THEREFOR {T{HERE}FOR*}

28 Horrible rust covering gold bull (6) TAURUS {T{AU}RUS*}

30 Privy to cutting onion letting out some blood (2,2) IN ON oNION*

31 Unstable mountains in the US (5) ROCKY [DD]

32 Eastern lair, where reportedly 19 lived (4) EDEN {E}{DEN}

DOWN

1   This place is in another estate (4) HERE [T]

2   Maker making 20? (8) PRODUCER*

3   Burnt remains carried on animal in retreat (6) ASHRAM {ASH}{RAM}

4   Bus hand becomes spouse! (7) HUSBAND*

5   RAW's mock combat? (3,5) WAR DANCE {RAW}* [RA]

6   Chess champion served pork around midday by Victor (6) KARPOV {K{dAy}RPO*}{V}

7   Girl from Thalassery (4) LASS [HIPS]

14 Nosy parker's plea without a note (5) PRYER PRaYER

16 Jughead, Jupiter or Indiana, for example... one in Junior Statesman, for starters (5) JONES {Ju...r}{ONE}{St...n}

18 Around end of March, wrongly affirms, "Banjo or drum may be raised here" (4,4) FISH FARM {FIS{m..cH}FARM*}

20 Got professional treated (8) PROCURED {PRO}{CURED}

21 Fish eggs with lots of fat for famous painter who used to live in Bangalore (7) ROERICH {ROE}{RICH}

23 Reduce psychiatrist's contract (6) SHRINK [DD]

25 Moon from the sty? (6) TETHYS*

27 Asafoetida from Washington (4) HING [HIPS]

29 Guy leaving manure along with a fertiliser (4) UREA {manURE}{A}

Reference List

Right = R, Saint = ST, Greek = GR, Blood = O, Eastern = E, Victor = V