No 14903, Monday 21 Sep 2026, Incognito

Solution to 21D 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

8   Wine from cantina stinks (4) ASTI [T]

9   Worries returned in Winchester farm (5) FRETS [T<=]

10 Fastener from damaged part removed from air plant repaired (4) NAIL {AIr+pLaNt}*

11 Cops from Napoli centre (6) POLICE [T]

12 Non believers at theft (8) ATHEISTS {AT}{HEISTS}

13 Hence ads may be converted into money (8) ENCASHED*

15 Acceptable, perhaps, to band wrongly (3,3) NOT BAD*

17 Hoffman hugs boy producing receptacle for waste (7) DUSTBIN {DUST{B}IN}

19 Zulu and Maori danced at end of season for royalty from Calicut (7) ZAMORIN {Z}{MAORI*}{s...oN}

22 Novelist from Australia in front of god (6) AUTHOR {AU}{THOR}

24 Herons flying around setter and riders from the cavalry (8) HORSEMEN {HORSE{ME}N*}

26 12 months, but longer than usual? (4,4) LEAP YEAR [CD]

28 Actor who played The Godfather gives up love for Yankee liquor (6) BRANDY BRAND(-o+y)Y

30 Scotsman gets English spice (4) MACE {MAC}{E}

31 Ms Adler's nurse is in anger (5) IRENE {IR{EN}E}

32 Positive response after European sees (4) EYES {YES}<=>{E}

DOWN

1   In absence of pit, topsoil destroyed in capital (4) OSLO tOpSOiL*

2   Watchful giant goes around port after six (8) VIGILANT {GI{L}ANT}<=>{VI}

3   Female share is changed once again (6) AFRESH {F+SHARE}*

4   Sees Romeo altering grade at school (7) REGARDS {R}{GRADE*}{S}

5   Weakness afterwards in Asia (8) ASTHENIA {AS{THEN}IA}

6   Join up and throw tinsel (6) ENLIST*

7   Affix foot at American soldier's backside for present (4) GIFT {FT}<=>{GI}

14 Pacific island urn broken contains gold (5) NAURU {N{AU}RU*}

16 51 captured by one girl in Wonderland (5) ALICE {A{LI}CE}

18 Some Middle-Easterners dumped silly Lear in river (8) ISRAELIS {IS{LEAR*}IS}

20 Unties rope before adjusting seat and performs surgery (8) OPERATES {ROPE*}{SEAT*}

21 That lady mixed Bert's drink (7) ?H?R?E? (Addendum - SHERBET {HER} in {BERTS}* - See comments) Actually spelt as SHARBAT

23 Occur from latter part of mishap near sty (6) HAPPEN {misHAP}{PEN}

25 Masseur lurking in the shrubbery? (6) RUBBER [HIPS]

27 Style covered by Michaelangelo (4) ELAN [HIPS]

29 Editor returned queen's animals (4) DEER {ED<=}{ER}

Reference List

Boy = B, Zulu = Z, Australia = AU, Yankee = Y, English = E, Nurse = EN(Enrolled Nurse), European = E, Port = LEFT=L, Female = F, Romeo = R, School = S, Foot = FT, American soldier = GI, Editor = ED, Queen = ER