No 14721, Thursday 19 Feb 2026, Crossant

Solution to 14A 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   Walk outside the French castle (6) PALACE {PA{LA}CE}

4   About security devices - they could have alarms (6) CLOCKS {C}{LOCKS}

8   Aunt just cut call in the middle - that's strange (7) UNUSUAL {aUNt}{jUSt}{cUt}{cALl} 'That's' is superfluous

9   Fuel nearly explodes in service stations (7) GARAGES {GAs}{RAGES}

11 Students of "Holy Cross Bangalore" basically adapted right away (10) SCHOOLBOYS {HOLY+CrOSS+B}*  One 'O' less in the fodder

12 Fine couple, husband doing duty for wife (4) THIN T(+h-w)HIN

13 Snails may be seen regularly lying around in hollow (5) BASIN {sNaIlS+mAy+Be}<=

14 Compulsory stop checking for police vans essentially (8) E?F?R?E? 

16 Most delighted with taste of puff pastry filling. Hats off! (8) HAPPIEST {Puff}{PIE} in {HATS}*

18 Checks rules for auditor (5) REINS (~reigns)

20 Receives good education through school primarily (4) GETS Acrostic

21 Data? It's repeatedly cast out (10) STATISTICS {ITS+ITS+CAST}* Letter Bank Fodder should be together See comments 

23 Typical Donald nonsense basically rejected by Greenland angrily (7) GENERAL {GREENLAnd}*

24 Right, Arsenal perhaps missing good athletes (7) RUNNERS {R}{gUNNERS}

25 Extremely silly to stop practice (6) SYSTEM {SillY}{STEM}

26 Youngsters eventually enjoy retro bars (6) LEVERS {y...rS}{REVEL}<=

DOWN

1   Captain missing at ground causing alarm (5) PANIC CaPtAIN*

2   Reportedly reduces exercises (7) LESSONS (~lessens)

3   Tax restructuring restricts sellers essentially (9) CHALLENGE {CHA{seLLErs}NGE} 

5   Esophageal reflux regularly increases (5) LEAPS {eSoPhAgEaL}<=

6   American actress and singer has got talent, right? (7) CHARTER {CH{ART}ER}

7   Remarkable types of rodents climbing up inside small cages (9) SPECIMENS {S}{P{MICE<=}ENS}

10 Aspiring model wearing red A-line top (9) POTENTIAL {T} in {A+LINE+TOP}* 

13 Couple rents jewellery (9) BRACELETS {BRACE}{LETS}

15 Equipment's defective? If unused from the beginning - return (9) FURNITURE {IF+Un...d+RETURN}*

17 Signs of protests erupting, rejecting leader of Teheran (7) POSTERS PROtESTS*

19 Great batting future perhaps (7) INTENSE {IN}{TENSE}

21 Start with 1 Down? (5) SCARE [DD]

22 Maybe King and Queen scared about losing empire finally (5) CARDS SCAReD*

Reference List

The in French = LA, About = C, Right = R, Husband = H, Wife = W, Right = R, Good = G, Small = S, Model = T, Batting = IN