The Hindu Cryptic on Sunday No 81, Sunday 08 Nov 2026, Gussalufz

HAPPY DIWALI

Rangoli by Gowri

Three answers per commenter till 4 PM (Annotations Compulsory)

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(20+22)/2=4?

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

ACROSS

1   Special fast bowler holds a humanities degree, that's key (5-3) SPACE-BAR {S}{PACE{BA}R}

6   Passage of life? Yes, tragicomically whimsical to the limit (6) FEYEST [T]

9   Can Jack have husband instead of wife? (4) JOHN {J}{O(-w+h)HN}

10 GPS icon was incorrectly placed in cutting-edge devices (6,4) COPING SAWS*

11 USA sent force regularly, after revolution in upland in Canada (6) COTEAU {UsA+sEnT+fOrCe}

12 Debt overwhelming? Ready with bankruptcy? What, too chicken? (1,4,3) I DARE YOU {I{READY*}OU}

13 Star in show is fabulously hot, I'll bet — inspiring chappie, essentially (3,3,4) TOP THE BILL {HOT+ILL+BET}* over {chaPpie}

15 Trick guy in third place, doing a 180? (4) DUPE DU(-d+p)PE

17 Saccharin oddly omitted in ingredient from Brazil (4) ACAI sAcChArIn

18 Stylish, strong male (not European) at sea, afloat, having taken uniform off (10) FLAMBOYANT {F}{MALe+}*{BuOYANT}

20 Rhythmic sound from disturbance in Bermuda Triangle's western edge (8) DRUMBEAT {BERMUDA+Tr...e}*

22 What a healthier plate might have, for example? (6) LESSON {LESS ON} [C&DD]

24 View from two perspectives of Gita — simple, uninhibited (5,5) SPLIT IMAGE*

26 Space-dweller does not have a legal claim on property (4) LIEN aLIEN

27 Well, son, call after parking (6) SPRING {S} and {RING}<=>{P}

28 University is boring — travelling on to gig, unreserved (8) OUTGOING {U} in {ON+TO+GOG}*

DOWN

2   Reduced price, including going off to zoo exhibits of earliest life forms (9) PROTOZOIC {PRICe}* over {TO+ZOO}*

3   Once a perishing craft (5) CANOE*

4   For second-rate, revolting service, employ ... (7) BECAUSE {B}{{ACE<=}{USE}

5   ... vet demoted four times as punishment? (3) RAP {VutsR+EdcbA+TsrqP}

6   Forget about crazy man's admiring letters (3,4) FAN MAIL {FA{MAN*}IL}

7   Very recently, dearest, roughly within two years (9) YESTERDAY {Y}{DEAREST*}{Y}

8   Took responsibility for the quoted opening of Jabberwocky, over and over (3,2) SAW TO {T'WAS<=}{O}

12 Counterfeit in ATM? It must be rigged (7) IMITANT*

14 Short bits of unimportant details about, um, religious instruction for some Roman officials (9) TRIUMVIRI {TRI{UM}VIa}{RI}

16 Step in to be analysed internally for potentially flatulent American food item (5,4) PINTO BEAN [T]

18 Sense of escape on vacation embodied by casual affair (7) FEELING {F{Es..pE}LING}

19 Most audacious, most appropriate bottles — vintage! (7) BOLDEST {B{OLD}EST}

21 Grips cups without protective sleeves to cut paper (3,2) RIP UP {gRIPs}{cUPs}

23 Attack universal voting selectively (5) SALVO [T]

25 Use the toilet behind one's back (3) AGO {GO}<=>{A}

Reference List

Special = S, Jack = J, Husband = H, Wife = W, Debt = IOU, Strong = F, Uniform = U, Son = S, Parking = P, University = U, Second-rate = B, Year = Y, Over = O, Religious Instruction = RI