No 14797, Tuesday 19 May 2026, Avtaar

Solution to 1D 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   Almost relaxed about conducting children's drill (6) SCHOOL {LOOSe<=} over {CH}

4   Recurrent mistake inhibiting No.1 in Open American championship (8) ESPOUSAL {LAPSE<=} over {Open}{US}

9   Delivery of the French whiskeys reduced by 50% (6) LABOUR {LA}{BOURbons}

10 Non-combatant John defending criminal vilified after disappearance of female editor (8) CIVILIAN {CAN} over {VILIfIed}

11 Following mushy, thick paella Avtaar will calm down (4,1,5,4) TAKE A CHILL PILL {THICK+PAELLA}*{I'LL}

13 Savoury can be chosen after starter for dinner (10) DELECTABLE {ELECTABLE}<=>{Di...r}

14 Ebbing river that is close to Warsaw Embankment (4) WEIR {R}{IE}{w...aW}<=

16 Show rear end of catheter removed from ass (4) MOON MOrON

18 Menacing coach upset by stragglers, finally isolated places for late-comers? (10) GRAVEYARDS {GRAVE}{DRAY<=}{s...rS}

21 Chemical from mobile charging distorted resolution (14) NITROCELLULOSE {NITRO{CELL}ULOSE*}

23 Male model exposed retrograde tendency to play favourites (8) NEPOTISM {M}{SIT}{OPEN}<=

24 Round table made flat on both sides (6) OBLATE {O}{TABLE}*

25 Confirming result briefly on phone (8) ENSURING {ENSUe}{RING}

26 Afternoon school's principal visiting faculty nowhere to be seen (6) ABSENT {A}{B{Sc...l}ENT}

DOWN

1   Deposit left in knife dropped down (4) S?L? (Addendum - SILT S(-l)I(+l)LT - See comments)

2   Spike in upwardly mobile Mongolian Bohemians (7) HOBNAIL [T<=]

3   Old coins from Britain embodying earliest signs of unusually lavish luxury (8) OPULENCE {O}{P{Un...y}{La...h}ENCE}

5   Bent lever is lit to control pressure in instrument (6,5) SPIRIT LEVEL {LEVER+IS+LIT}* over {P}

6   Flyer to Rio leaving borders (6) ORIOLE [T]

7   Party embracing the essence of quick unaided execution (7) SUICIDE {S{qUICk}IDE}

8   Hosts in stadium having come cycling (9) LANDLORDS {L{(-l)AND(+l)L}ORDS}

12 President Brown visited by leader in Idaho introducing a boy (11) CHAIRPERSON {CHA{Id..o}R}{PER}{SON}

13 Work out ending in Korean cinema about absolute authority (9) DOMINANCE {DO}{k...aN+CINEMA}*

15 Shortened course before spot of baked dessert (8) SYLLABUB {SYLLABUs}{Ba..d}

17 Amidst work, actor uncovered organisation with extensive network (7) OCTOPUS {O{aCTOr}PUS}

19 Model again exercising. perhaps with energy, letting pressure off (7) RESHAPE {pERHAPS}*{E}

20 Siren's topless photograph linked to her missing husband (6) HOOTER {sHOOT}{hER}

22 Do without cocaine for semifinal run, say (4) HEAT cHEAT

Reference List

Children = CH, The in French = LA, John = CAN, Female = F, Editor = ED, River = R, Male = M, Afternoon = A, Old = O, Coins from Britain = PENCE, Pressure = P, Energy = E, Husband = H, Cocaine = C