No 14839, Tuesday 07 Jul 2026, Arden

Solution to 3D 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

6   One soon retrieves part of the loop (5) NOOSE [T<=]

7   Poorly dressed - carp about bum (8) FRUMPISH {F{RUMP}ISH}

10 Fellow traveller's income very good (7) COMRADE {COM{RAD}E}

11 She stops destruction with her spirit (7) BANSHEE {BAN{SHE}E}

12 Star's short reply to possessing weed (7) ANTARES {AN{TARE}S}

13 Act of anointing - do without force (7) UNCTION fUNCTION

14 Talk about separate section (11) COMPARTMENT {COM{PART}MENT}

19 Plant is clean, perhaps (7) SANICLE*

21 Subject of beer drinking girl - it comes with two cups (7) ALGEBRA {AL{G}E}{BRA}

23 Easy to read on holy book after doffing cap (7) LEGIBLE {LEG}{bIBLE} 

25 Maybe one got hard-hearted at work (2,3,2) ON THE GO {ONE+GOT+H}*

26 Alarmed about new municipal council member (8) ALDERMAN {ALARMED}*{N}

27 Burst forth and get pure extract in return (5) ERUPT [T<=]

DOWN

1   Make up for an alien in heavenly surroundings (8) COSMETIC {COSM{ET}IC}

2   Set right the salesman's attitude (6) REPAIR {REP}{AIR}

3   Eat dessert topping or bay rum? (10) ?F?E?S?A?E 

4   Leaders never understand most basics, have no feeling (4) NUMB Acrostic

5   Another mishit results in thin strips (6) ISTHMI*

6   Approach outside court, honey (6) NECTAR {NE{CT}AR}

8   Long search to begin with confidence (7) PANACHE {ACHE}<=>{PAN}

9   Do live with a refusal (5) BEANO {BE}{A}{NO} 

13 Somewhat terrible pain - opt out (2,2,1,5) UP TO A POINT*

15 Fearsome animal casing the vehicle (7) MACABRE {MA{CAB}RE}

16 Shows board with gold cross (8) TABLEAUX {TABLE}{AU}{X}

17 Carol's school dress is appropriate (5) PSALM {P{S}ALM}

18 Raised pig without animal handler (6) MAHOUT {HAM<=}{OUT}

20 Upset horse in the middle of a river (6) NIGGLE {NI{GG}LE}

22 Complete after midnight - refuse to go in here (6) GUTTER {UTTER}<=>{niGht}

24 Manages to trim the top of trees (4) ELMS hELMS

Reference List

Force = F, Girl = G, Hard = H, New = N, Alien = ET, Court = CT, School = S, Horse = GG