The Hindu Cryptic on Sunday No 76, Sunday 04 Oct 2026, Incognito

Three answers per commenter till 4 PM (Annotations Compulsory)

Please submit all your answers in one comment.

(COMMENTS ENTERED WITH LESS THAN THREE ANSWERS/ANNOTATIONS WILL BE DELETED WITHOUT NOTICE, UNLESS THE COMMENTER SPECIFIES THAT IT IS A COMPENSATION FOR A REPEAT)

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ACROSS

8   Letter from Tibet arrived (4) BETA [T]

9   Engineers mentioned in the number (5) THREE {TH{RE}E}

10 One leaves heavenly female in 60 minutes (4) HOUR HOURi

11 Some Middle Easterners and European soldiers follow Yankee at institute (6) YEMENI {E}{MEN}<=>{Y} at {I}

12 Acacia, for example, from one door now being repaired (8) IRONWOOD {1+DOOR+NOW}*

13 Left university girl in European country (8) PORTUGAL {PORT}{U}{GAL}

15 Take for short time old Rolls Royce parked in front of ship (6) BORROW {O}{RR} in {BOW}

17 Horribly cursed a second hand automobile (4-3) USED-CAR*

19 Hoped snake with anger died (7) ASPIRED {ASP}{IRE}{D}

22 Accompany from Spanish court after discarding uniform (6) ESCORT {ES}{COuRT}

24 For example, Paddy and Rishi strangely manage in absence of time (8) IRISHMAN {RISHI*}{MANage}

26 After middle of night, excitedly pour champagne, for example, at first for musical band (3,5) POP GROUP {niGht}{POUR*}<=>{POP}

28 Wrongly buries precious stones (6) RUBIES*

30 Consumed after soft mincemeat (4) PATE {ATE}<=>{P}

31 Rise and dress (3,2) GET UP [DD]

32 Colour bird carrying a piece of nut (4) TINT {TI{Nut}T}

DOWN

1   Give away editor hiding in church (4) CEDE {C{ED}E}

2   Secured legal right to place temporary accommodation next to Father Edward (8) PATENTED {TENT}<=>{PA} and {ED}

3   Group following saint to get packing material (6) STRING {RING}<=>{ST}

4   Dotty communication from superb rail leaflet (7) BRAILLE [T]

5   Engineers with scepticism starting to scrap fortifications (8) REDOUBTS {RE}{DOUBT}{Sc..p}

6   One who displays a bathroom fitting (6) SHOWER [DD]

7   Embrace with love, the author of The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (4) HUGO {HUG}{O}

14 Individual leaving fertile spot around Middle Eastern kilns (5) OASTS {OASiS} over {easTern}

16 Final letter from Santhome garrison (5) OMEGA [T]

18 Like hats 7 manufactured (2,6) AS THOUGH {HATS*}{HUGO*}

20 Lives in horrible sin, possessing addictive practice (8) INHABITS {SIN}* over {HABIT}

21 Can spot damaged metal vessels (7) TINPOTS {TIN}{SPOT*}

23 Wild parties from Oregon soldiers having Ecstacy (6) ORGIES {OR}{GI{E}S}

25 In absence of net, wrongly interrupt and intrude (6) IRRUPT InteRRUPT

27 Major Albert's hiding a sort of test (4) ORAL [T]

29 Bird from other nest (4) ERNE [T]

Reference List

Engineers = RE(Royal Engineers), European = E, Yankee = Y, Institute, University = U, Old = O, Rolls Royce = RR, Died = D, Spanish = ES, Uniform = U, Soft = P, Editor = ED, Church = CE, Edward = ED, Saint = ST, Individual = I, Soldiers = GIS, Ecstasy = E

No 14914, Saturday 03 October 2026, Avtaar

 ACROSS
1 That is Avtaar entering when I have left, naturally (6) NAMELY {ME} in NAi'veLY

4 Amateur boxing tour disrupted near Cambodia's capital (8) KHARTOUM {HAM} around {TOUR*}<=>K
9 Abandon plant amidst pandemonium (6) DISOWN {SOW} in {DIN}
10 Uplifting energy provided in passing (8) EDIFYING {E}{D{IF}YING}
11 Supply from Canada losing money with onset of recession almost trebled result of international sales (7,2,5) BALANCE OF TRADE {F(-r) O(-m) CANADA+TREBLE(-d)}*
13 Throughout a meeting emotional quotient essentially found wanting (10) INADEQUATE {EQ}{foUnd} in {IN}{A}{DATE}
14 Partners exchanged, means to send data for tweeters? (2-2) HI-FI {-w+H}HI-FI
16 Playful bow (4) ARCH [DD]
18 Part of physics involving inversion of model data (10) STATISTICS {STA{SIT<}TICS}
21 Shouting Help, say, about introduction of arbitrary rule probing storage fee (8,6) CARRYING CHARGE {CRYING}{CHAR}{EG<} around {Arbitrary}{Rule}
23 Director left for Illinois, developing office tower? (8) BUILDING {BU(-d+IL)ILDING}
24 Smelly wonky old studio releasing toxins at the entrance (6) ODIOUS {O}{StUDIO}*
25 Doctor listened and volunteered (8) ENLISTED*
26 Right through, ace is ahead (6) PROPER {PER}<=>{PRO}

DOWN
1 Exposed factor in rising redundancy (4) NUDE [HIPS<]
2 Mom's vehicle given touch of artificial colouring in front (7) MASCARA {MA'S}{CAR}{Artificial}

3 Wife visiting America enters Michigan, say, with Republican congressman (8) LAWMAKER {A{W}M} in {LAKE}+R
5 Composed a story Ditch of Still Water? (11) HYDROSTATIC*
6 Foot for base of prop in standing counter (6) REFUTE {RE(-p+F)FUTE}
7 One old Communist leader turned up checking doctor's paperwork? (7)ORIGAMI {I}{MAO}< around {RIG}

8 Science of drawing? (9) MAGNETICS [CD]
12 Leader quitting act of voluntary humiliation following judge's sanction (11) COUNTENANCE pENANCE<=>COUNT
13 Short-tempered herbalist uncovered case of Icelandic nuts (9) IRASCIBLE {hERBALISt IcelandiC}*
15 Head to investigate mudslinging Brit? (8) ISLANDER {Investigate}{SLANDER}
17 Cheerful bird lifted face (7) CORDIAL {ROC<}{DIAL}
19 Smart mature women leaving tribe? (7) INGROUP {IN}{GROw UP}
20 Group of stars held at the borders, say, furtively hiding ecstasy (6) HYADES {HelD SAY}* around E

22 Sailor entertains special authority on a subject (4) TSAR {T{S}AR}

REFERENCE LIST

Money=M, Emotional Quotient=EQ, Director=D, Illinois=IL, Old=O, Wife=W, America=Am, Republican=R, Foot=F, Special=S.

No 14913, Friday 02 Oct 2026, Hypatia

RULES FOR POSTING COMMENTS FOR FRIDAY ONLY

All those who are not regular commenters but who are rookie commenters or silent followers of the blog are requested to post answers with annotations in the comments section. In your own interest please avoid looking up the answers from the interactive version. Don't hesitate to post your annotations, in case you make a mistake in the annotation someone will correct it with the right annotation.

PLEASE NOTE, SOLUTIONS WITHOUT ATTEMPTING THE ANNOTATIONS WILL BE DELETED

Each commenter is requested to post only 5 answers thereby giving others also a chance to participate. Please provide all your answers in one comment.

Regular solvers/Veterans can post 1 answer each, but after 11 AM only.

Thanks for the response, here's the regular blog.

ACROSS

1   Fine dialect mixed with English (8) DELICATE {DIALECT}*{E}

5   Abridged creator's introduction to song composer (6) BRAHMS {BRAHMa}{Song}

10 A criminal had occasionally seen crime as unrighteousness (7) ADHARMA {A}{HAD*}{cRiMe+As}

11 Completely obsolete or modernised (7) UPDATED {UP}{DATED}

12 Technical expressions representing many subjects, basically (5) TERMS Acrostic &lit

13 Heated and dry cooked to remove water (9) DEHYDRATE*

14 Proposed healthy topic's abandoned (12) HYPOTHETICAL*

18 Spooner's restrained like a hawk in perfect condition (5,2,1,4) SOUND AS A BELL {~bound as a sell to sound as a bell}

21 State of guy trapped in Iran - America conflicts (9) ARGENTINA {GENT} in {IRAN+A}*

23 Fruit sources of original liquor in Venice especially (5) OLIVE Acrostic

24 Divine journey meeting daughter's wish (7) GODLIKE {GO}{D}{LIKE}

25 Tests gold handles (7)  ORDEALS {OR}{DEALS}

26 Tie and dye art's frequently red (6) TENDER {TiE+aNd+DyE+aRt}

27 Long duration of meal regularly converting to energy in motherhood (8) ETERNITY (-ma+e)ETERNITY

DOWN

1   Want samples of handmade art hangings (6) DEARTH [T]

2   Folktale about a husband's city (6) LAHORE {L{A}{H}ORE}

3   Short saint regarded and showed deference (9) CURTSEYED {CURT}{S}{EYED}

4   Dark web expert, reversing role, orders iPod models (8,6) TRAPDOOR SPIDER {PART<=}{ORDERS+IPOD}*

6   Auditor's scanned passport prepared again (5) REDID {(~read)RED}{ID}

7   Cause for condiment that's spicy (3,5)  HOT SAUCE {CAUSE}* [RA]

8   Crafty about vacating unused study without warning (8) SUDDENLY {S{Un..eD}{DEN}LY}

9   First thing to do in a regatta - spare no expenses (4,3,4,3) PUSH THE BOAT OUT [DD]

15 Reject all or derail some tough challenge (4,5) TALL ORDER [T]

16 Snail won second place in running race before (8) ESCARGOT {GOT}<=>{S} in {RACE}*

17 Kipling character united with gang making noise (5,3) GUNGA DIN {U+GANG}*{DIN}

 Though I've belted you and flayed you,
        By the livin' Gawd that made you,
You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din!

— "Gunga Din", lines 82–84

19 Bahraini confused about this desi name (6) BIHARI {BIHARI+A+N}*=BAHRAINI

20 Spirited celebration welcoming onset of Indian year (6) FEISTY {FE{I}ST}{Y}

22 Simple mother lacking time (5) NAIVE NAtIVE

Reference List

English = E, America = A, Daughter = D, Energy = E, Husband = H, Saint = S, Second = S, United = U, About = A, Name = N, Indian = I, Year = Y, Time = T

No 14912, Thursday, 01 Oct 2026, Hypatia

Solution to 28A 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

7   Fan boy dancing around extremely brave girl in main area (3,2,6) BAY OF BENGAL {FAN+BOY}* Over {BravE} and {GAL}

8   Cool stuff kept in kitchen, frequently (3) ICE kItChEn

10 Breakfast food includes deliciously light item for starters (4) IDLI Acrostic

11 Place with bars in state wasting bachelor's time? (5) TIHAR (-b+t)TIHAR

12 Right from list in podcast (4) LIEN Anno pending (Addendum - (~lean) - See comments)

13 In France, good backing the aristocrat (5) NOBLE {BON<=}{LE} 

15 British actors terribly bored by promotion in show (9) BROADCAST {B+ACTORS}* over {AD}

16 Model on magazine / paper (6) TISSUE {T}{ISSUE}

18 Daughter first abandoned strays (6) DRIFTS {D}{FIRST*}

21 Doctor to those having power — a therapist (9) OSTEOPATH {TO+THOSE}* over {P}{A}

23 Categories of nasty pests (5) TYPES [T]

25 Mammals oddly avoided a plant (4) AMLA {mAmMaLs}{A}

26 Fleece customers at the end, after independent portraits (5) ICONS {CON}{c...rS}<={I}

27 Daily plan's incomplete (4) CHAR CHARt

28 Snake vanishing with insect (3) ?S? (Addendum - ASP wASP - See comments)

29 Peril of an important position (4,7) HIGH PROFILE {PERIL+OF}* [RA]

DOWN

1   Style of cooking indoor at spreads (8) TANDOORI*

2   Drive near huge unending desert (4) GOBI {GO}{BIg}

3   Boat capsizing every now and then had to sink (5) ABATE {BoAt<=}{ATE}

4   Secures Emcees (7) ANCHORS {DD]

5   Spooner's simple palm accessory (8) HAIRBAND (~bare hand to hairband)

6   Entrance of conservative church blocked behind (6) ACCESS {C}{CE} in {ASS}

9   Enthusiasm of star ultimately settling in American Hollywood's home (8) ALACRITY {staR} in {A}{LA CITY}

14 Criminal saves gal in Sin City (3,5) LAS VEGAS*

17 Obscene clip shot in retreat (8)  EXPLICIT {EX{CLIP*}IT}

19 Tips from Spooner to understand stories (8) TOENAILS (~know tales to toenails)

20 Decline an award (7) ATROPHY {A}{TROPHY}

22 Almost identical like old inverted triangular snack (6) SAMOSA {SAMe}{AS+O<=}

24 Unlawfully seize using reprobate political leaders! (5) USURP Acrostic &lit

27 Outlet that serves public a few sandwiches (4) CAFE [T]

Reference List

Bachelor = B, Time = T, Good in French = BON, The in French = LE, British = B, Promotion = AD, Model = T, Daughetr = D, Power = P, Independent = I, With = W, Conservative = C, Church = CE, American = A, Old = O