No 14714, Wednesday 11 Feb 2026, Saral

Solution to 14D 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

7   Fantastic blue and silver back whale (6) BELUGA {BLUE}*}{AG<=}

8   Preserve excellent books penned by principal (8) MAINTAIN {M{A1}{NT}AIN}

9   Station master near subway counter for final examination (4-6) POST-MORTEM {POST}{M}{METRO<=}

10 Request from people accepted (4) PLEA [T]

11 Spanish journalist to get a round of coffee (8) ESPRESSO {ES}{PRESS}{O}

12 Two pieces of thin taro damaged windpipe (6) THROAT {THin}{TARO*}

13 Method of designing old pure diamonds (5,8) MODUS OPERANDI {O+PURE+DIAMONDS}*

16 Scientist in pressure with a measuring system mainly (6) PASCAL {P}{A}{SCALe}

18 Petitioner in court protecting wild animal (8) CLAIMANT {C{ANIMAL*}T}

21 Advertisement is abrupt and dull (4) BLUR BLURb

22 Gauge mood controlling expression of pain mostly from the heart (10) TOUCHSTONE {T{OUCH}{moSTly}ONE}

23 Killing hundred soldiers after Indian state is upset (8) MASSACRE {C}{RE}<=>{ASSAM<=}

24 Call again engineers to help rolling line (6) REDIAL {RE}{AID<=}{L}

DOWN

1   That woman with son training birds (6) HERONS {HER}{SON*}

2   Assembled plant reportedly (8) MUSTERED (~mustard)

3   Noted a tailless rodent behind fellow (6) FAMOUS {A}{MOUSe}<=>{F}

4   Spread a meal primarily consumed by weight watcher (8) DIAMETER {DI{A}{Meal}ETER}

5   State of shock from bombing US port (6) STUPOR* 

6   Some elite, rational intellectuals (8) LITERATI [T]

8   Point out crime playing in movie (6,7) MOTION PICTURE*

13 Cooking at first fresh oatmeal dish (4,4) MEAT LOAF {Fr..h+OATMEAL}*

14 Spooner says "Stop sibling in biannual event" (8) S?L?T?C? (Addendum - SOLSTICE (stall sis to solstice - See comments)

15 Worm in bump around oriental carpet (8) NEMATODE {N{E}{MAT}ODE}

17 Body right inside bush (6) CORPSE {CO{R}PSE}

19 Follow a daughter with that man again (6) ADHERE {A}{D}{HE}{RE}

20 Assassins? Yes in Germany chasing Indian often with son (6) NINJAS {JA}<=>{iNdIaN} and {S}

Reference List

Books = NT(New Testament), Master = M, Spanish = ES, Old = O, Pressure = P, Court = CT, Hundred = C, Soldiers = RE(Royal Engineers), Line = L, Fellow = F, Oriental = E, Right = R, Daughter = D, Again = RE, Yes in German = JA, Son = S