No 14826, Monday 22 Jun 2026, Hypatia

Solution to 16A has been deliberately left unsolved and is to be answered only 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   Pick up spot for fish (6) PLAICE (~place)

4   Events from India captured in records and poems (8) EPISODES {EP{I}S}{ODES}

9   Most terrible blight initially seen in low grass (6) BAMBOO {BAd}{M{Bl...t}OO}

10 One popping a question in favour of sitter (8) PROPOSER {PRO}{POSER}

11 Singer abroad did release heavy metal covers (7,7) FREDDIE MERCURY {FRE{DID*}E}{MERCURY}

13 Dismissed and sued her (7,3) USHERED OUT {SUED+HER}* [RA]

14 Starts to accept transactions through Amazon for staple food (4) ATTA Acrostic

16 Collector's item from foundation returned on time (4) D?B? 

18 Reverend asked to label a pretty girl's trinkets (10) BAGATELLES (tag a belles to bagatelles)

21 Squeal with rum or pleasing cocktail (9,5) SINGAPORE SLING {SING}{OR+PLEASING}*

23 Say men from the East bored by English book on nuclear physicist (8) ROENTGEN {EG}{OR}<= over {E}{NT} then {N}

24 Secure link (6) ATTACH [DD]

25 Rejects vitamin given to biased patients regularly (8) DISDAINS {D}{bIaSeD+pAtIeNtS}

26 Overhead ventilation surrounding entrance (6) ADVENT [T]

DOWN

1   Excited about starters from Bengaluru's sushi bars (4) PUBS {UP<=}{Ba...s}{Su..i}

2   Bureau's chief of investigation probing gangster hurt from the bottom (7) ALMIRAH {In...n} in {AL}{HARM<=}

3   Showed cooks embracing recipe boosting cold soups (8) CHOWDERS {R} in {SHOWED}* <=>{C}

5   Stroll around centre of Saudi - Arab temple complex (11) PERAMBULATE {saUdi+ARAB+TEMPLE}*

6   Attire concealing standing order to kill (6) SUPARI {S{UP}ARI}

7   Remains close to fighting in clean contempt (7) DISGUST {D{IS}{f...nG}UST}

8   Abandoned felines in cast (5,4) STRAY CATS {CAST}* [RA]

12 Bananas contained in a trawler heading out to deep location (6,5) INDIAN OCEAN {CONTAINED+IN+A+Tr...r}*

13 Doctor died! Nurse - not needed! (9) UNDESIRED {DIED+NURSE}*

15 Let down beaten side replacing England's captain (8) DEFLATED DEF(-e+l)LATED

17 Those who censor advertisements? (7) BANNERS [C&DD]

19 Somewhat cordial in eager race (7) LINEAGE [T]

20 Mother often choosing an eternal phrase in prayer (6) MANTRA {MA}{aN+eTeRnAl}

22 AI exchange in conversation generating note (4) CHIT CH(-a+i}IT

Reference List

India = I, Records = EPS (Extended Plays), Low = MOO, Men = OR(Other ranks),  English = E, Book = NT(New Testament), Nuclear = N, Vitamin = D, Gangster = AL(Capone)Recipe = R, Side = L(Left)