No 14862, Monday 03 Aug 2026, Pixie Dust

Solution to 21A 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   Masked traffickers and escorts (6) USHERS pUSHERS

5   Dismiss exhibitionist replacing old woman with runner (5,3) SHRUG OFF {SH(-ow+rug)RUG OFF}

9   Tackle a very soft insect (8) APPROACH {A}{PP}{ROACH}

10 I study a great deal of Frost...Classic! (6 ) ICONIC {I}{CON}{ICe}

11 Control panels? So drab! (10)  DASHBOARDS {SO+BRAD}* [RA]

12 Archbishop's skirt (4) TUTU [DD]

13 Uzbekistani Techie Lobo Agnus seen regularly in winter sport (8) BIATHLON {uzBekIstAni+TecHie+LobO+agNus}

16 European repelled by journo slipped away (6) ELOPED {POLE<=}{ED}

17 Recoiled after Superintendent of Police gave a buzz (6) SPRANG {SP}{RANG} 

19 The Don is thus sheltering a pleasure seeker (8) HEDONIST* [T]

21 Box picked up for a piece of metal at end of an arrow (4) ?O?K (Addendum NOCK (~knock) See comments) 

22 Can Ted be employed again and again in family? (10) ANTECEDENT {CAN+TED}* [Letter Bank]

25 Indian state, large and mountainous (6) UPLAND {UP}{L}{AND}

26 Narcissistic outings? (3,5) EGO TRIPS [CD]

27 Nonsense crew, declares Spooner - withdraw! (4,4) PULL BACK (~bull pack to pull back)

28 Asch, Kyle & Alan discovered a nymph that became a sea-monster (6) SCYLLA {aSCh}{kYLe}{aLAn}

DOWN

2   Subtle, earthy pigmentation in art-galleries basically? (5) SEPIA Acrostic &lit

3   Elements of objective art highlighting our planet (5) EARTH [T]

4   Look legendary Welsh King delivered finely ground pulverised material (3,4) SEACOAL (~see cole)

5   Asha somehow managed one originating from the African Desert (7) SAHARAN {ASHA}*{RAN}

6   Rise up and plead for release once more (7) REISSUE {RISE*}{SUE}

7   Goths won't bust a deserted community (5,4) GHOST TOWN*

8   I sent fans out in exhaustion (9) FAINTNESS*

14 Unprepared, independent member of parliament meets Trump casually around 1st of October (9) IMPROMPTU {I}{MP}{R{Oc...r}MPTU*}

15 Giant bearing pain with black electronic device (9) TRACKBALL {T{RACK}{B}ALL}

18 Ultimately amazing supporter, a superman, proud champ 'Dada' (7) GRANDPA [Tail Acrostic] Semi&lit

19 Not right! Criminal to shred Kevin's shared workstation (7) HOT DESK {TO+SHrED}*{K}

20 Are these drug dealers making a mess of Taco orders? (7) DOCTORS {DOCTORS+ARE}*=TACO ORDERS

23 Tarnished parts of spiky trident held up (5) DIRTY [T<=]

24 The French writer sent back to country (5) NEPAL {LA}{PEN}<=

Reference List

Old = O, Woman = W, Very soft = PP, Study = CON, Journo = ED(itor), Superintendent of Police = SP, Large = L, Independent = I, Member of Parliament = MP, Black = B, Kevin = K, The in French = LA