No 14786, Wednesday 06 May 2026, Incognito

Solution to 5D 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   Brave warrior and biblical king gives away diamonds (4) HERO HEROd

9   7 confused about eastern ruler (5) AMEER {MARE}* over {E}

10 But a hill may be covering a state (4) UTAH [T]

11 Space agency covering southern university in Caribbean city (6) NASSAU {NAS{S}A}{U}

12 Father stole and got uncontrollable anxiety (8) PANICKED {PA}{NICKED}

13 We swarm excitedly around one in Bikini, for example (8) SWIMWEAR {WE+SWARM}* over {1}

15 Complete International Law (6) INTACT {INT}{ACT}

17 Elongate time (7) STRETCH [DD]

19 & 25 A railway guard, for example - he may spill the beans (7,6) WHISTLE BLOWER [DD]

22 Dr Bali travelling for marriage ritual (6) BRIDAL*

24 Walking around Malta, bun is cut into pieces (8) AMBULANT*

26 Permit giver modifying silencer (8) LICENSER*

28 Father crushed almond (3,3) OLD MAN*

30 Removing asp from topsail is hard work (4) TOIL TOpsaIL

31 Sharp mountain ridge in Delaware territory (5) ARETE [T]

32 Mad sociopath giving up chops? It's a very small quantity... (4) IOTA sOcIopATh*

DOWN

1   Wager on a Greek letter (4) BETA {BET}{A}

2   Criminal near river produces soup (8) CONSOMME {CON}{SOMME}

3   A bund constructed on East River (6) DANUBE {A+BUND}*{E}

4   Penny replaced model in gymnast's dress and spotted animal (7) LEOPARD LEO(+p-t)PARD

5   Threateningly wave seed covering on plate, for example (8) ?R?N?I?H (Addendum - BRANDISH {BRAN}{DISH} - See comments)

6   Sum up: "Animal in city" (6) MUSCAT {SUM<=}{CAT}

7   Animal from Srikakulam area (4) MARE [T]

14 & 21 Say, Gunga Din or Aquarius? (5,7) WATER CARRIER [DD]

16 Two spots, one below the other, in part of intestine (5) COLON (:) Rebus

18 Huge deficit in lignite, for example (8) COLOSSAL {CO{LOSS}AL}

20 Dressing a boy covered in earth (5,3) SALAD OIL {S{A}{LAD}OIL}

21 See 14

23 Lives and starts to dig sumps around source of water (6) DWELLS {Dig}{WELL}{Su..s}

25 See 19 Across 

27 Metal found in Adirondack (4) IRON [HIPS]

29 Bet mountain can be upside down (4) ANTE<=

Reference List

Diamonds = D, Eastern = E, Southern = S, University = U, East = E, Penny = P, Model = T