No 14890, Friday 04 Sep 2026, Pixie Dust

HAPPY  JANMASHTAMI

Artwork by Prasanna

Rangoli by Gowri

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ACROSS

7   Being very new, dropping every second fish (6)

8   Portrait's irritating without moustache essentially (8)

9   Performing star singer is perhaps missing a visitor (8)

10 Extremely exotic resting place! Sweet (6)

11 Cordiality found in Guggenheim? Oh! Nobody was sent back (8)

12 Ten reportedly perished in compound (6)

13 Techie set the ball rolling? (5,3,3)

18 Say Cruise with Jerry's partner making a comeback in 'The Bird' (6)

20 Penny leaving busy airport wearing glasses for a musical (8)

22 Some children nabbed swivelling Jack (6)

23 Do your best backing flower business (8)

24 Skirt around old Buddhist monastery to find power, a measure of it (8)

25 Fun for crook to take flight (6)

DOWN

1   Elocution of contradictions (7)

2   Found a quiet husband or perhaps it's an implied comparison (8)

3   Endless border crowding weird tree (3,3)

4   Elfin repeatedly used safety device? (8)

5   Stupid firm filled with traitors from the beginning (6)

6   Star while cycling around loop puts feet up (7)

8   Can this purist make a mess of proficient stance? (13)

14 Being a main channel gift European currency (8)

15 Preferring first pair of chants over old carol (8)

16 Consequently tourist town in Greece becomes an independent country (7)

17 Spooner's clear displeasure for this part of the body? (7)

19 Car's working? Yes Man! (6)

21 They are scaled but not the first in pecking orders (6)