The Hindu Cryptic on Sunday No 79, Sunday 25 Oct 2026, Afterdark

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ACROSS  

8   AI introduced in Vietnam is worthless (4) VAIN {V{AI}N}

9   Forced the crowd (5) DROVE [DD]

10 Employs American warship around central Nigeria (4) USES {US{nigEria}S}

11 Regional Engineering Colleges uses intellectual property to expose system (6) RECIPE {REC}{IP}E Efrom?

12 Described dog? Indeed (8) DETAILED {DE{TAIL}ED}

13 Engineer may bless convention (8) ASSEMBLY*

15 Clears tracks (6) STRIPS [DD] 

17 Temporarily uses first bus at golden lines (7) BORROWS {Bus}{OR}{ROWS}

19 Understands that time is redundant for these people (7) ?S?I?O?  Error in the clue

22 Energetic Kazakhstanis discard khakis and produce a poem, say (6) STANZA {kAZakhSTANis}*

24 Criminal Ellis hid in brae (8) HILLSIDE*

26 Precious stones kept in suit (8) DIAMONDS [DD]

28 Having uninterrupted power supply in Delhi East initially is an advantageous aspect (6) UPSIDE {UPS}{In}{De..i}{East}

30 Boy with golden spoon ultimately was brought to life by birth (4) BORN {B}{OR}{s..oN}

31 Indicate time (5) SPELL [DD]

32 Send son to guard borders (4) ENDS [T]

DOWN

1   Cook bass and koi first adding spice at the end (4) BAKE {Bass}{And}{Koi}{s..cE}

2   Technician in England shakes and has beer after removing lid (8) ENGINEER {IN+ENG}*{bEER}

3   Say, quickly debar first voter that's fraud (6) ADVERB {DEBAR+Vo..r}*

4   Farewell to leave with first daughter, boy, 4th wife on tour (7) GOODBYE {GO}{Da...r+BOY+wifE}* 

5   Doctors for depression? First session in the beginning (8) DENTISTS {DENT}{1ST}{Se...n}

6   Coach on line, beginning to go as it is more occupied (6) BUSIER {BUS}{tIER}

7   Female, stranger at England seen at fair (4) FETE {F}{ET}{E}

14 Fire bolt (5) SHOOT [DD]

16 To encourage to stay outside University is noble (5) PROUD {PRO{U}D}

18 Infirmity comes from fitful wakefulness, having flu (8) WEAKNESS {WAKEfulNESS}*

20 Demanded sibling shortened visit to India (8) INSISTED {IN{SISTEr}D}

21 How his personality is helping to make a rumour (7) WHISPER [T]

23 Baptizing Amin inside's not good (6) NAMING {N}{AMIN}{G}

25 Dolly sauntered around university noisily (6) LOUDLY {LO{U}DLY*}

27 Metal found in the environment (4) IRON [HIPS]

29 For fathers, daughters are darlings surely, from the beginning (4) DADS Acrostic

Reference List

Golden = OR, Boy = B, Female = F, Stranger = ET, England = E, University = U, India = IND, Not good = NG