No 14885, Saturday 29 Aug 2026, Hypatia

 ACROSS
1 Anguished cry about president joining American country (6) CYPRUS {CRY*} about{P} +US

4 Complied with rule in charge of measurement system (6) METRIC {MET}{R}{IC}
9 Teacher giving us recognition, chiefly at University (4) GURU {Giving}{Us}{Recognition}{U}
10 Sympathetic hospital section working with debt obligations (10) HARMONIOUS {H}{ARM}{ON}{IOUS}
11 Novel has article about fine emperor (6) ASHOKA {HAS*}{OK}{A}
12 Play game with turn in row (8) ARGUMENT*
13 Hypatia had set clue earlier and had to explain (9) ELUCIDATE {I'D}<=>{CLUE*}+ATE
15 Approve lying about animal close to zoo (4) OKAY {YAK<}<=>{zoO}
16 Prize art regularly gathering support (4) PIER {PrIzE aRt}
17 Spooner's gambler secures mail collector (6,3) LETTER BOX Spoonerism of BETTER LOCKS
21 Advocate flipping cronies in friendly gesture (8) BACKSLAP {BACK}{PALS<}
22 Port city (6) MUSCAT [DD]
24 A wine almost subduing angry, sick and prickly animals (10) ARMADILLOS {A}{ROSe} around {MAD}{ILL}

25 Can't steal? (4) LOOT {LOO}{T} Can't to be separated as CAN+T
26 He believes that he is truthful to some extent (6) THEIST [T]
27 Caught monkeys earning rupees in stunts (6) CAPERS {C}{APE{R}S}

DOWN
1 Crazy old uncle nicking second brief (7) COUNSEL {O+UNCLE}* around {S}
2 Philosopher taking tips from practices learnt usually through observations (5) PLUTO [Acrostic] Pluto or Plato?

3 Ignored in dark ages, Hindus revolted every now and then (7) UNHEARD {DaRk AgEs HiNdUs}<
5 Hug one in trouble? It's all you need (6) ENOUGH*
6 Managed to take one month to recruit oddly keen miracle worker (9) RAINMAKER {RA{I}N}+{MAR}around {KeEn}
7 Relish slice filled by husband with rising desire (7) CHUTNEY {C{H}UT}{YEN<}

 

8 Get help. Let's stop the curse! (5,3,5) BREAK THE SPELL {HELP LET'S*} [RA]
14 What one can do in dating sites to outwit someone? (9) CHECKMATE {CHECK MATE}
16 Pick up hint about artist and kings in language (7) PRAKRIT {TIP<} around {RA}{K}{R}
18 Yet am ashamedly concealing fuss (7) TAMASHA [T]
19 Speakers occasionally sort out patriot from the South (7) ORATORS {SoRt OuT pAtRiOt<}
20 Cash limit unfortunately hit these entitlements (6) CLAIMS {CLAIMS+HIT}*=CASH LIMIT [CA]
23 Loves nuts to crack (5) SOLVE*

REFERENCE LIST

President=P, American=US, Rule=R, In Charge=IC, University=U, Hospital=H, Debt Obligations=IOUs, Article=A, Fine=OK, Caught=C, Rupees=R, Old=O, Second=S, One=1=I, Month=MAR(ch), Husband=H, Artist=RA (Royal Academician) King=K/R.