No 14828, Wednesday 24 Jun 2026, Avtaar

Solution to 22D 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   Propose checking new inspector's authority (6) PUNDIT {PU{N}{DI}T}

5   Trainer given key after dropping institute's driver (8) COACHMAN {COACH}{MAiN}

9   Land in Vakola is dug up (8) SLOVAKIA*

10 Solid brown on tail of cat (6) TRUSTY {RUSTY}<=>{caT}

11 Perjury of leader being laid out in public? (5,2,5) LYING IN STATE {LYING}{IN}{STATE}

13 Force Republican to give up seat for head of party (4) PUMP (-r+p)PUMP

14 Weakened disoriented side badly losing final (8) DISABLED {SIDE+BADLy}* 

17 Fear of extremely unusual strains in water-clover, for example (4-4) FOUR-LEAF {FEAR+OF+Un...aL}*

18 Harry lying about stealing Avtaar's earnings (4) GAIN {N{I}AG<=}

20 Repetition by initially accentuating leading letter-sounds (12) ALLITERATION {ITERATION}<=>{Ac...g}{Le...g}{Le...r} &lit

23 Regressive characters facing extremely violent sexual attachment change over time (6) EVOLVE {Ex...y}{Vi...t}{LOVE}<=

24 Earlier introduction of tax ruined neighbourhood shop (8) RETAILER {EARLIER+Tax}*

25 Judge, say, with a vacuous look clumsily crosses in a carefree manner (8) JAYWALKS {J}{SAY+W+A+LooK}*

26 Where you find environs for Pranayama, invoking a deity (6) PAGODA {Pr...mA} over {A}{GOD} Semi&lit

DOWN

2   Mostly unpleasant taste of imported fruit (4) UGLI {UGLy}{Im...d}

3   Real estate magnate's daughter constantly implicating staff in retreat (9) DEVELOPER {D}{EV{POLE<=}ER}

4   Every now and then Yankee engages in money fraud (4-2) TAKE-IN {T{yAnKeE}IN}

5   One working for a mission from Africa has freed Government in trouble (6,9) CHARGE D'AFFAIRES*

6   A cut gem's placed on hard floor (8) ASTONISH {A}{STONe}{IS}{H}

7   Ferret circling a resort (5) HAUNT {H{A}UNT}

8   Opposition is hesitant when challenged (10) ANTITHESIS*

12 Further stay set up by old European state (10) YUGOSLAVIA {ALSO}{GUY}<={VIA}

15 Start batting at first, say, when given a stint at the crease (9) BEGINNING {Ba...g}{EG}{INNING}

16 Erotic film on email oddly missing essence of sex (8) VENEREAL {VENeER}{EmAiL}

19 Excellent weed raised at the bottom of elevated mine (6) TIPTOP {POT<=}<=>{PIT<=}

21 Relative's smart act (2-3) IN-LAW {IN}{LAW}

22 Randy's lodge, almost fully erected (4) ?E?D ()

Reference List

New = N, Inspector = DI(Detective Inspector), Institute = I, Republican = R, Judge = J, Daughter = D, Hard = H, Stay = GUY