No 14811, Thursday 04 Jun 2026, Arden

Solution to 19D 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   Daydream with a list Catherine prepared (6,2,3,3) CASTLE IN THE AIR*

10 Romeo wears ring that is expensive (5) PEARL {PEA{R}L}

11 Newly made to inculcate American virtue - a duty that's proportionate (2,7) AD VALOREM {MADE}* over {VALOR}

12 One eating fruit, time for some food (7) ALIMENT {A{LIME}N}{T}

13 Able to stop the boys' return - it's a disgrace (7) SCANDAL {CAN} in {LADS<=}

14 Money for a French rocket almost rejected (5) NAIRA ARIANe<=

16 Dirty job right inside - one strayed (9) MEANDERED {MEAN}{DE{R}ED}

19 Suspect lets alarm go off (5,1,3) SMELL A RAT*

20 Poor creature loses wicket to throw it all up (5) RETCH wRETCH

22 Invested in final round, one day later (7) ENDOWED {END}{O}{WED} What's the role of 'later'?

25 Tie in writing charms (7) MASCOTS {M{ASCOT}S}

27 Bad in law to accept - in other words, it is ambush (3,2,4) LIE IN WAIT {IN+LAW}* over {IE} with {IT}

28 In Kenya, lakes are home to this animal (5) NYALA [T]

29 Amass gold - times change and it becomes the most sought after thing (10,4) COLLECTORS ITEM {COLLECT}{OR}{TIMES*}

DOWN

2   Ticks off with this (9) ACARICIDE [GK] (Addendum - {ACARI}{CIDE}&lit - See comments)

3   It shows approximate inner diameter of a hat (5) TILDE {TIL{D}E}

4   Glass essentially goes in far back like rubber (9) ELASTOMER {gLASs} in {REMOTE<=}

5   In a vestment you can see parts of the church (5) NAVES [T]

6   Dutch also shout outside (9) HOLLANDER {HOLL{AND}ER}

7   Bitter, free undercurrent (5) ACRID {RID}<=>{AC}

8   Animal sacrificed - went on and on (7) RAMBLED {RAM}{BLED}

9   Twist well, get right home (6) SPRAIN {SP{R}A}{IN}

15 A weapon receives modest grant (9) ALLOWANCE {A}{L{LOW}{ANCE}

17 Adjust input schedule on the cockpit instrument (9) ALTIMETER {AL{TIME}TER}

18 Reason to restrict booze consumption (9) RATIONALE {RATION}{ALE} Consumption is superfluous

19 Back in the centre carrying pound of varnish (7) S?E?L?C (Addendum - SHELLAC {bACk}<=>{SHELL}- See comments)

21 Old cavalryman - hard to be one in Soviet Union (6) HUSSAR {H}{USS{A}R}

23 Live long with crude rising (5) DWELL {L}{LEWD}<=

24 It's foolish without reading the outline (5) DRAFT {D{R}AFT}

26 Part of Egypt somewhat soars in air (5) SINAI [T]

Reference List

Romeo = R, Time = T, Right = R, Wicket = W, Writing = MS(Manuscript), Gold = OR, Diameter = D, Home = IN, Hard = H, Long = L, Reading = R