No 14802, Monday 25 May 2026, Pixie Dust

Solution to 1A 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   Just qualify brave Joseph from time to time (6) ?F?E?H (Addendum - AFRESH {quAliFy+bRavE+joSepH} - See comments)

5   Millions notice conduit around Universal Psychopathic Hospital (8) MADHOUSE {M}{AD}{HO{U}SE}

9   Is this state of stupor possibly a crisis, son? (8) NARCOSIS {NARCOSIS+IS}*=A CRISIS SON [CA]

10 Bird panting briefly (6) PUFFIN PUFFINg

11 Can pet when repeatedly used find recognition? (10) ACCEPTANCE {CAN+PET}* [Letter Bank]

12 Work is restricted by that man's ambition (4) HOPE {H{OP}E}

13 Forcefully edited story about Naira, (girl on vacation) (8) STRONGLY {STORY}* over {N}{GirL}

16 Observed criminal is deep (6) ESPIED*

17 From the beginning government rejected allotment to independent suppliers for free (6) GRATIS Acrostic

19 Rowdy sipping hot tea, say and beginning to spout opinions (8) THOUGHTS {T{H}OUGH}{(~tea)T}{Sp..t}

21 Leader in Myanmar (as televised) backtracking (4) TSAR [T<=]

22 Indiscriminately eat mince pie endlessly in frustration (10) IMPATIENCE  {EAT+MINCE+PIe}*

25 Fraud alert when time is right (3,3) RIP OFF (-t+r)RIP OFF

26 Impractical Fellow (8) ACADEMIC [DD]

27 Encounters meekest lions (Gasp!) every now and then (8) MEETINGS {MeEkEsT+lIoNs+GaSp}

28 Torn piece hanging loose from post at terminal (6) TATTER [T]

DOWN

2   Currency is unrestricted as per auditor (5) FRANC (~frank)

3   Pixie Dust's upset with extremely contemptible European host (5) EMCEE {ME<=}{Co...lE}{E}

4   #Henry's terribly aghast! (7) HASHTAG {H}{AGHAST*} 

5   Queen of England getting hold of boy's handiwork (7) MASONRY {MA{SON}RY}

6   Bankrupt? Cancel entertaining Penny (7) DEPLETE {DE{P}LETE}

7   Ready-made for one who has stopped drinking? (3-3-3) OFF-THE-PEG [DD]

8   Most inadequate, I kiss temp awkwardly (9) SKIMPIEST*

14 Trust Neil building a mechanical gate (9) TURNSTILE*

15 Hardy cycling around more haphazardly, furthest from the center (9) OUTERMOST {(-st)OUT(+st)ST} over {MORE}*

18 Small argument and workers lost head in set (7) STIFFEN {S}{TIFF}{mEN}

19 Spooner says, " Skip tasteless articles for formal headwear!" (3,4) TOP HATS (~hop tats to top hats)

20 Banished cats? (7) OUTCAST {CATS}* [RA]

23 Deny right away and deport (5) EJECT rEJECT

24 Crossing borders of America illegally is felony (5) CRIME aMERICa* Semi&lit

Reference List

Millions = M, Notice = AD, Universal = U, Naira = N, Hot = H, Time = T, Right = R, European = E, Henry = H, Penny = P, Small = S