No 14768, Wednesday 25 Apr 2026, Avtaar

HAPPY VISHU

Solution to 17A 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   Party in bar turned extremely raunchy (7) REVELRY {LEVER<=}{Ra...hY}

5   Put on stage for Mussolini, perhaps (7) PRODUCE {PRO}{DUCE}

10 Small water inlet outside entrance to bathroom (4) BABY {BA{Ba...m}Y}

11 Mobile mass seen briefly on river around source of oil (6,4) SESAME SEED {MASS+SEEn}*{DEE<=}

12 Caution by English guards to walk softly (6) TIPTOE {TIP}{E} over {TO}

13 Shout about bone across centrepiece in grill used in the kitchen (8) CULINARY {C{UL{grIll}NA}RY}

14 Stir as tension breaks (9) SENSATION*

16 Fiend in English county heartlessly stealing money (5) DEMON {DEvON} over {M}

17 Very likely committed Bob's heading to border (5) ?O?N?  

19 Snare in celebration springing back behind bust (5,4) BOOBY TRAP {PARTY<=}<=>{BOOB}

23 Rum from Antigua - rare medicine - on the counter (8) DEMERARA [T<=]

24 Overcome by corrosion, banks of Euphrates turned reddish brown (6) RUSSET {RUS{Eu...eS<=}T}

26 Seals cracks in intricately woven material (10) TAPESTRIES {TAPES}{TRIES}

27 Helps millions fleeing terrible disease (4) AIDS mAIDS

28 Messenger Avtaar's apprehending scoundrel with hesitation (7) MERCURY {M{ER}{CUR}Y}

29 Dream of fellow worker shattered, say (7) FANTASY {F}{ANT}{SAY*}

DOWN

2   Devious general cancelling PR (7) EVASIVE pErVASIVE

3   Country broadcast logotype giving away 50 rings (5) EGYPT loGoTYPE*

4   Honour vision about becoming leader (7) RESPECT (+re)RESPECT(-re)

6   Back member after German leaves fold (6) RUMPLE {RUMP}{LEg}

7   Purge toxic insecticide with fluorine, after dropping ice (9) DISINFECT {iNSECTIcIDe+F}*

8   Man in church given port for good health (7) CHEERIO {C{HE}E}{RIO}

9   My coach's positive when I have cut off straying of the mind and body (13) PSYCHOSOMATIC {MY+COACHS+POSITive}*

15 US city backs probing radical faceless agencies having identical traits (9) SYNGENEIC {NY<=} in {aGENCIES}*}

18 Lover at eatery having had too much (7) OVERATE [T]

20 Coffee-maker is included in 22, say (7) BARISTA {IS} in {(~barter)BARTA}

21 Section of Mossad negated flipping schedules (7) AGENDAS [T<=]

22 Stock exchange? (6) BARTER [CD]

25 Lean factory replacing leader with second (5) SLANT (-p+s)SLANT

Reference List

English = E, Money = M, Millions = M, Hesitation = ER, Fellow = F, 50 = L, About = RE, German = G, Fluorine = F, Church = CE, I have = I'VE, Second = S