The Hindu Cryptic on Sunday No 66, Sunday 26 Jul 2026, Vidwan

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ACROSS

8   Reveal it, without small act (6) EXPOSE {sEX}{POSE}

9   Help! Miss! Help! (8) HANDMAID {HAND}{MAID}

10 Fudge made with rare sugar from the Caribbean (8) DEMERARA {MADE+RARE}*

11 Dissidence as a result of this small British trading (6) HERESY HERE(-b+s)SY

12 One who teaches baroque art deco outside university? (8) EDUCATOR {ART+DECO}* over {U}

13 Country crossing line for Spain and Portugal (6) IBERIA lIBERIA

14 Hardback? (5) STERN [DD]

16 Most sensible thing about a barbarian (5) BEAST {BE{A}ST}

21 Criticises and pans! Could be snappiness! (6) SNIPES {SNIPES+PANS}*=SNAPPINESS [CA]  SNAPPINESS

23 Just an international body located outside India (8) UNBIASED {UN}{B{I}ASED}

25 Revolutionary shine and spirit (6) CHERUB {CHE}{RUB}

26 Victory for Norway! Five Star perhaps for creative discipline! (4,4) FINE ARTS {FI(-v+n)NE}{STAR}*

27 Victory to India’s ruling coalition! Alcohol regularly relished in Goa! (8) VINDALOO {V}{I}{NDA}{aLcOhOl}

28 Millions wanting rock singer with  high pitch (6) TREBLE TREmBLE

DOWN

1   Old sweetheart has an inclination for stretches (7) EXTENDS {EX}{TENDS}

2   Sulk over team lying about current shutdown (5,3) POWER CUT {PO{CREW<=}UT}

3   Mostly take care of a Bible holder (6) TENANT {TENd}{A}{NT}

4   Setting a model in that place (7) THEATRE {THE{A}{T}RE}

5   Preserve energy, note and run into light (8) ENSHRINE {E}{N}{SH{R}INE}

6   Issue schemer generally covers (6) EMERGE [T]

7   Ties of blood and skin, first to finish in style! (7) KINSHIP {(-s)KIN(+s)S}{HIP} 

15 US Midwest bluster withered over time (4,4) RUST BELT {BLUSTER}* over {T}

17 Audience notice better looking sailor (8) SEAFARER (~see fairer)

18 In essence, lunch ain’t free! (7) UNCHAIN [T]

19 Discharge pimp wasting time on backsliding womaniser (7) OUTFLOW {tOUT}{WOLF<=}

20 Drunk pal kept giving motivational address (3,4) PEP TALK*

22 Standard publicity over electronic display (6) PARADE {PAR}{AD}{E}

24 Bad smell surrounding old lousy egg fish (6)  BONITO {BO} over {O}{NIT}

Reference List

Small = S, British = B, University = U, Line = L, India = I, Revolutionary = CHE, Victory = V, Norway = N, Millions = M, Bible = NT(New Testament), Model = T, Energy = E, Note = N, Run = R, Time = T, Publicity = AD, Electronic = E, Bad smell = BO(Body odour), Old = O