The Hindu Cryptic on Sunday No 47, Sunday 15 Mar 2026, aFTERDARK

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ACROSS

1   Strangely pa's upset with publication layout designs (5-3) PASTE-UPS*

5   Tailors lack substance, cuff's right inside garment (1-5) T-SHIRT {Ta...rS}{HI{R}T}

10 Speak with one heartless deserter to board (5) ORATE {On{RAT}E}

11 Demented libeler on revolt (9) REBELLION {LIBELER}*{ON}

12 Put parsley on the sides, look at adding some dill as spice (5,4) POPPY SEED {POP}{Pa...eY}{SEE}{Dill}

13 Doctor in Colorado has mega storage device (2-3) CD-ROM {CO}{DR}{M}

14 Motto of rowdy? Burgle first in chaos (6) BYWORD {ROWDY+Bu...e}*

15 Mythical character appearing in 'Prometheus and Manes' (7) SANDMAN [T]

18 Judge collecting return gift from shed (7) RADIATE {RA{AID<=}TE}

20 Vain lady pursues guy possessing intelligence as a rule (6) MAINLY {LadY}<=>{MA{I}N}

22 Knight offers help to trap a water nymph (5) NAIAD {N}{AI{A}D}

24 Say, buttercup's ordeal with headache overcomes enthusiasm at the beginning (9) HELLEBORE {HELL}{BORE} over {En...m} Buttercup's are not Hellebore's

25 Impenitent Usha steals new alto at Maine and departs (9) UNASHAMED {U{N}ASH*}{A}{ME}{D} Anind for USHA?

26 Show gratitude to Chinese in deserted Tabuk (5) THANK {Tab{HAN}uK}

27 Stories cover a new leader's protests (3-3) LIE-INS {LIE{1}{New}S}

28 English politician's new year party was heavenly (8) EMPYREAN {E}{MP}{N+YEAR}* Party as Anind?

DOWN

1   Application software consumes memory quick (6) PROMPT {P{ROM}PT}

2   Alert son dismissed students, yelled angrily snatching instrument (5-4) SHARP-EYED {S}{YEllED*} over {HARP}

3   Often Newton and Hayden collaborate to master short version (5,3,3,4) EVERY NOW AND THEN {NEWTON+HAYDEN}* over {VER}

4   Threaten Aden perhaps to dismiss the leader and disfigure (7) PORTEND {PORT}{bEND}

6   Second felon lifted candy at regular intervals covertly and with aplomb (4-11) SELF-CONFIDENTLY {S}{FELON+LIFTED+CaNdY}*

7   As per sources, Indian climate interchanges erratically, result is getting colder (5) ICIER Acrostic

8   10 people surround Earl's Tesla at apartment (8) TENEMENT {TEN}{E}{MEN}{T}

9   Sailor's poem on habitats (6) ABODES {ABS} over {ODE}

16 Hector tore email and set right (9) MELIORATE*

17 Calm & composed ritual with participation of hungry queen (8) TRANQUIL {RITUAL+QueeN}*

19 Eastern axis joins INC founder to resurrect (6) EXHUME {E}{X}{HUME} 

20 Mother-in-law with first lady and mother forms a barrier (7) MILLDAM {MIL}{Lady}{DAM}

21 Summon British national smuggling cut coke (6) BECKON {B}{COKE*}{N}

23 Idiotic leaders of India neither agree, nor engage (5) INANE Acrostic

Reference List

Cuff = HIT, Right = R, Deserter = RAT, Mega = M, Intelligence = I, Knight = N, New = N, Alto = A, Departs = D, Chinese = HAN, English = E, Son = S, Student = L, Second = S, Earl = E, Tesla = T, Sailor = AB, Eastern = E, Axi = X, Mother = DAM, British = B, National = N