The Hindu Cryptic on Sunday No 57, Sunday 24 May 2026, Incognito

Three answers per commenter till 4 PM (Annotations compulsory) 

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ACROSS

1   Friend confirms as true and talks(8)

5   Churchman tense, perhaps, taking gold(6)

10 Eva is chaperoned to some extent(5)

11 Toy Papa put down before nightshift(9)

12 Poetry collection includes old names(6)

13 Legendary land at end of tunnel is giving shelter to soldier(8)

15 President's joke about sex appeal backfired(5)

17 Equine sounds by boy, our next door resident(9)

19 Something said to wish luck to an actor, but perhaps not to a dancer(5,1,3)

20 Lowest point for king(5)

21 Mom's diet can be bold(8)

23 Cutting loafs and putting in a bit of fresh variety meats(6)

27 Making speed, consumes gin cocktail around 10(9)

28 Afterwards, large rat having energy jumped(5)

29 Most coy literary moneylender loses security device near estate(6)

30 Right drain remodelled by Ohio physicist at first to get a bit of liquid precipitation?(8)

DOWN

1   Things Sherlock Holmes had used by plumbers(5)

2   Gentler to adjust eyeglasses(9)

3   VP's vehicle is in front of church(5)

4   Some peri-peri peppers may be ready to eat(4)

6   Confusing a star, Khan produces lambskin with curled wool(9)

7   What Oliver may do with someone's arm?(5)

8   Hospital employee? May be a government officer...(9)

9   Separate long and narrow elevation for bird(9)

14 A client is strangely rigid(9)

15 Proclaims: "Bar that lady in large part of isle"(9)

16 Sends Ken a design showing nudity(9)

18 Skilled painter of yore turned almost red(3,6)

22 Cluttered eating place at yard(5)

24 Fighter joins Musk to manufacture Su-57 for NATO(5)

25 Belt parts recycled(5)

26 Alcoholics Anonymous covers Greek city(4)