Sunday 08 Mar 2026, IIT (M) WGC, IIT (M) Crossie Open, KrisKross

Announcing the Crossie Open 2026 - Cryptic Crossword competition conducted by the Word Games Club of IIT Madras. It is on March 8th, 2026 at the IIT Madras campus, and I will be hosting it this year.

Registrations are now open - please use this link (google form) to register.

https://forms.gle/eZivoahrNcwt3pTdA

No 14723, Saturday 21 Feb 2026, Arden

 ACROSS
1 Fans to fund him, perhaps to act in movies (6,7) DUSTIN HOFFMAN*

10 To begin with, lot of customers are located in the neighbourhood (5) LOCAL [Acrostic]
11 Safety barriers on deck - from bottom to top crew not happy (9) TAFFRAILS (-s)TAFF RAIL(+S)

12 Cut two phases - terrible working here (9) SWEAT SHOP*
13 Whiff of a party in our midst (5) ODOUR {O{DO}UR}
14 Carol allowed a vest (7) SINGLET {SING}{LET}
16 Advance working permits (7) IMPREST*
18 Run for example to get a job and come back (7) RIPOSTE {R}{I{POST}E}
20 Part of main deck originally used - not while in the middle of a storm (7) GUNWALE {Used}{Not}{While} in {GALE}

22 It's a tedious thing to send back the Irish police (5) GARDA {A}{DRAG}<
24 Power - a lot represented in a game (5,4) WATER POLO*

26 Joint holders - title to cover unfinished game with tennis sides (9) LIGAMENTS {LI{GAMe}EN}{TenniS}

27 Rewrite epilogue - no crude oil to encourage (3,2) GEE UP {EPiloGUE}*
28 Major hold over corruption is saturnism (4,9) LEAD POISONING {LEADING} over {POISON}

DOWN
2 In other words a clue acquires new name - it's filthy (7) UNCLEAN {A CLUE}* over {N}+{N}
3 Everyone's taken in by latest fashion - can't believe them (4,5) TALL TALES {ALL} in {LATEST}*
4 Cannot change part of score (5) NOTCH [T]
5 Issue is not on season (9) OFFSPRING {OFF}{SPRING}
6 Give up force, otherwise leave (5) FORGO {F}{OR}{GO}
7 Fat nude lady and I sit for a photograph (7) ADIPOSE {lADy}{I}{POSE}
8 Students find it difficult to understand leftist ideology (5,8) CLASS STRUGGLE {CLASS}{STRUGGLE}
9 Camaraderie and sixth sense - tried out before cops arrest robber finally (6,2,5) ESPRIT DE CORPS {ESP}{TRIED}*{CO{robbeR}PS}
15 Arranged another date, now OK for some martial arts (3,4,2) TAE KWON DO*

17 Writer to persist with Arthur's father (9) PENDRAGON {PEN}{DRAG ON}
19 Dugout for a religious crook (7) PIROGUE {PI}{ROGUE}

21 Rising ego in a sweep - pertains to the highest point (7) APOGEAN {EGO<} in {A}{PAN}
23 Trained to help me inside (5) AIMED {AI{ME}D}
25 Jobs for Kelvin in a foreign news agency (5) TASKS {TAS{K}S}

Reference List

Run=R, For Example=That is=ie, New=N, Name=N, Force=F, Sixth Sense=ESP, Religious=Pi (short for pious), Kelvin=K.

No 14722, Friday 20 Feb 2026, VMA Nair

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   Poke around old parlour (6) LOUNGE {L{O}UNGE}

4   General manager finally arranged photographic equipment (8) ENLARGER {GENERAL+m...eR}*

My father's enlarger

9   Head of inventory in Somalia enthralled by lively merger (6) FUSION {S{In...y}O} in {FUN}

10 Arab chaps present at the back (8) REARWARD {RE{AR}WARD}

12 Your old guards about to acknowledge a funeral song (8) THRENODY {TH{RE}{NOD}Y}

13 Cry over one boring North American country (6) BOSNIA {SOB<=}{N{1}A}

15 Forged math degree to get tasks regularly and to succeed (4,3,5) MAKE THE GRADE {MATH+DEGREE}* over {tAsKs}

18 Better tell salesman at the entrance casually to pack a furniture item (7,5) TRESTLE TABLE {BETTER+TELL+Sa...n}* over {A}

21 Core of Putin's ideologies (6) INSIDE [T]

22 Worker dumping good, bulkier clothes behind old undergarments primarily (8) LABOURER {LARgER} over {Be...d}{Old}{Un...s}

24 Way to receive grant for gambling game (8) ROULETTE {ROU{LET}TE}

25 Sister collecting money for organized protests (3-3) SIT-INS {SI{TIN}S}

26 Black coffers kept inside vault (8) DARKSOME {D{ARKS}OME}

27 Country essentially secured borders of Ghana (6) UGANDA {secUred}{G and A from GhanA}

DOWN

1   Duration of English film E.T. varies outside India (8) LIFETIME {E+FILM+ET}* over {I}

2   Unusual posture limiting king's movement towards top (8) UPSTROKE {UPSTRO{K}E*}

3   Dangerous, stoned criminal showing friendliness (4-11) GOOD-NATUREDNESS*

5   Christmas story unsettling Vatican City (4) NOEL NOvEL 

6   Company owned by Indian origin techies initially developed system for controlling the temperature (3-12) AIR-CONDITIONING {CO} in {INDIAN+ORIGIN+Te...s}*

7   Old woman from Gabon controlled New York (6) GRANNY {G}{RAN}{NY}

8   Detective Inspector taps official phone again (6) REDIAL {RE{DI}AL}

11 Unlucky day to open state park? Not quite (7) ADVERSE {A{D}VER}SEt}

14 Navy mainly taking tips from lawmakers on amount a person can carry (7) ARMLOAD {ARM{La...s}{On}ADa}

16 Seaman given unopened parcel for cancellation (8) ABORTION {AB}{pORTION}

17 Harry Kane has supporters in US state (8) NEBRASKA {NE{BRAS}KA*}

19 Couple on board ultimately having a series of rows (6) TIERED {TIE}{RE}{b..rD}

20 Publisher lives with petitioner (6) ISSUER {IS}{SUER}

23 Spot a male cat (4) ATOM {A}{TOM}

Reference List

Old = O, Arab = AR, About = RE, Good = G, Money = TIN, English = E, India = I, King = K, Vatican City = V, Detective Inspector = DI, Day = D, Seaman = AB, Supporters = BRAS, On = RE

No 14721, Thursday 19 Feb 2026, Crossant

Solution to 14A has been deliberately left unsolved and is to be answered 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

1   Walk outside the French castle (6) PALACE {PA{LA}CE}

4   About security devices - they could have alarms (6) CLOCKS {C}{LOCKS}

8   Aunt just cut call in the middle - that's strange (7) UNUSUAL {aUNt}{jUSt}{cUt}{cALl} 'That's' is superfluous

9   Fuel nearly explodes in service stations (7) GARAGES {GAs}{RAGES}

11 Students of "Holy Cross Bangalore" basically adapted right away (10) SCHOOLBOYS {HOLY+CrOSS+B}*  One 'O' less in the fodder

12 Fine couple, husband doing duty for wife (4) THIN T(+h-w)HIN

13 Snails may be seen regularly lying around in hollow (5) BASIN {sNaIlS+mAy+Be}<=

14 Compulsory stop checking for police vans essentially (8) E?F?R?E? (Addendum - ENFORCED {EN{FOR}{poliCE vans}D} - See comments)

16 Most delighted with taste of puff pastry filling. Hats off! (8) HAPPIEST {Puff}{PIE} in {HATS}*

18 Checks rules for auditor (5) REINS (~reigns)

20 Receives good education through school primarily (4) GETS Acrostic

21 Data? It's repeatedly cast out (10) STATISTICS {ITS+ITS+CAST}* Letter Bank Fodder should be together See comments 

23 Typical Donald nonsense basically rejected by Greenland angrily (7) GENERAL {GREENLAnd}*

24 Right, Arsenal perhaps missing good athletes (7) RUNNERS {R}{gUNNERS}

25 Extremely silly to stop practice (6) SYSTEM {SillY}{STEM}

26 Youngsters eventually enjoy retro bars (6) LEVERS {y...rS}{REVEL}<=

DOWN

1   Captain missing at ground causing alarm (5) PANIC CaPtAIN*

2   Reportedly reduces exercises (7) LESSONS (~lessens)

3   Tax restructuring restricts sellers essentially (9) CHALLENGE {CHA{seLLErs}NGE} 

5   Esophageal reflux regularly increases (5) LEAPS {eSoPhAgEaL}<=

6   American actress and singer has got talent, right? (7) CHARTER {CH{ART}ER}

7   Remarkable types of rodents climbing up inside small cages (9) SPECIMENS {S}{P{MICE<=}ENS}

10 Aspiring model wearing red A-line top (9) POTENTIAL {T} in {A+LINE+TOP}* 

13 Couple rents jewellery (9) BRACELETS {BRACE}{LETS}

15 Equipment's defective? If unused from the beginning - return (9) FURNITURE {IF+Un...d+RETURN}*

17 Signs of protests erupting, rejecting leader of Teheran (7) POSTERS PROtESTS*

19 Great batting future perhaps (7) INTENSE {IN}{TENSE}

21 Start with 1 Down? (5) SCARE [DD]

22 Maybe King and Queen scared about losing empire finally (5) CARDS SCAReD*

Reference List

The in French = LA, About = C, Right = R, Husband = H, Wife = W, Right = R, Good = G, Small = S, Model = T, Batting = IN

No 14720, Wednesday 18 Feb 2026, Gridzilla

Solution to 7D has been deliberately left unsolved and is to be answered 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

1   Study starts to trace ancestral lineage of canines (6) DENTAL {DEN}{Tr..e}{An...l}{Li...e} 

4   Sun not seen in part of Russia and part of Europe (6) IBERIA sIBERIA

8   Someone on a terrace is having a baby! (7) NEONATE [T]

9   Avoid draw? (4,3) WARD OFF {DRAW}* [RA]

11 About to ask loners all over the place to stand together? (5,5) CLOSE RANKS {C}{ASK+LONERS}*

12 Cut some sweet cherries (4) ETCH [T]

13 Physicist originally from Europe researched muons intensively (5) FERMI Acrostic &lit

14 Quickly starts snapping its photo (4,2,2) HOPS TO IT* 

16 Plan is right from start to finish and logical to begin with (8) PROPOSAL {(-a)PROPOS(+a)A}{Lo...l}

18 Old Peruvian beer may be found here (5) INCAN {IN CAN} [DBE]

20 God of war essentially! (4) ARES [T] Semi&lit

21 Spooner's unreasonable standards - they could be frowned upon! (3,7) BAD MANNERS (~mad banners to bad manners)

23 Risk is great, but not absolute (7) IMPERIL IMPERIaL

24 These discriminators are on board? (7) SEXISTS {S{EXIST}S}

25 Had spent time, to take wife out (6) TASTED (+t-w)TASTED

26 Enter with extremely tipsy author around lunchtime (4,2) TYPE IN {TipsY}{PE{1}N}

DOWN

1   People get on when love is expressed (5) DWELL {Do WELL}

2   Abstainer's turned on by hot nurse (3-4) NON-USER {ON<=}{NURSE*}

3   Members of a rock band? (9) ASTEROIDS [CD/GK]

5   At last, scrub your butt cheek (5) BRASS {s..uB}{youR}{ASS}

6   Say, buffalo and bear finally teamed up (3,4) RED MEAT {beaR+TEAMED}*

7   A time to avoid pretentiousness, and care (9) A?F?C?I?N (Addendum - AFFECTION AFFECtaTION} - See comments)

10 Hotel in Iceland served a Mexican dish (9) ENCHILADA {H} in {ICELAND}*{A}

13 On the contrary, some monks might live like this? (3,4,2) FAR FROM IT [DD]

15 A pill they popped for pastime (9) PHILATELY* 

17 Have mixed up pesos with shillings (7) POSSESS {PESOS*}{SS}

19 Intimate clip from biopic on Fidel (7) CONFIDE [T]

21 In Bangalore on vacation, kid gets reward (5) BRIBE {Ba...rE} over {RIB}

22 I unloaded supplies in shop (3,2) RAT ON RATiON

Reference List

Sun = S, About = C, Absolute = A, Time = T, Wife = W, Hotel = H, Shilling = S

No 14719, Tuesday 17 Feb 2026, Vidwan

Solution to 1D has been deliberately left unsolved and is to be answered 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

9   Give explanation that is about having luck mostly at a particular time (9) ELUCIDATE {IE<=} over {LUCk} at {DATE}

10 Please point out stupid mistake (5) LAPSE PLEASe*

11 Paying guest has managed to cause extensive damage (5) PRANG {P{RAN}G}

12 Tack of wind instrument section of orchestra/band (9) WOODSCREW {WOODS}{CREW}

13 Cases about volunteers (7) COFFERS {C}{OFFERS}

15 Spooner's listing disease for medicinal case (7) PILLBOX (~bill pox to pillbox)

17 Officials, not rude masters (5,8) CIVIL SERVANTS {CIVIL}{SERVANTS}

21 Carmaker seen regularly at Shell Centre for a petroleum product (7) BENZENE {BENZ}{{sEeN}{shEll}

22 Love to write diary regularly when school is accessible for all (4,3) OPEN DAY {O}{PEN}{DiArY}

23 It prevents one from being caught with pants down (9) SUSPENDER [CD]

25 Past unfolds before the end of title sequence (5) SPATE {PAST}*{t..lE}

27 A goodbye essentially is about love (5) ADIOS {A}{gooDbye}{I{O}S}

28 Girl without a teetotaller attitude or dullness (9) LASSITUDE {LASS}{attITUDE}

DOWN

1   Starting to value! Could be top-secret! (7) ?E?P?C? (Addendum - RESPECT {RESPECT+TO)*=TOP SECRET [CA] Semi&lit - See comments)

2   American soil over Russian body (4) DUMA {A}{MUD}<=

3   Bachelor life scribbled in one line (6,4) SINGLE FILE {SINGLE}{LIFE*}

4   Clergy orders lucrative wars right away (6) FATWAS {FAT}{WArS}

5   Spooner's cushion piece is substandard (5,3) BELOW PAR (~pillow bar to below par)

6   Rich mostly have advantage (4) PLUS PLUSh

7   Sanctioned a very quiet con at Enforcement Directorate (10) APPROBATED {A}{PP}{ROB}{AT}{ED}

8   In the middle of wager, with one to ten thousand at opening (7) BETWIXT {BET}{W}{1}{X}{Th...d}

14 Run into monsters in alliance (10) FRIENDSHIP {F{R}IENDS}{HIP}

16 Name dropping Indian tennis legend, second in command (10) LEADERSHIP {LEAnDER}{S}{HIP}

18 Harry eats idly little by little (8) STEADILY*

19 Awful bit, baby's malnourished (7) ABYSMAL [T]

20 Small and petty English cunningly prepared content for printing (7) TYPESET {S+PETTY+E}*

22 Surge at happy hours, around mid-morning! (6) ONRUSH {O{morNing}RUSH*}

24 Quarter of naked monsters (4) EAST bEASTs

26 Gang dudes occasionally give chills and fever (4) AGUE {gAnG+dUdEs}

Reference List

Point = E, About = C, Teetotaller = TT, American = A, Right = R, Very quiet = PP, With = W, Run = R, In = HIP, Name = N, Second = S, Small = S, English =E

No 14718, Monday 16 Feb 2026, Vidwan

Solution to 15A has been deliberately left unsolved and is to be answered 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

1 & 4 Time to levitate! Captivating line by poet about love and abandon! (5,9) THROW OVERBOARD {T}{H{ROW}OVER}{B{O}ARD}

4   See 1

9   Men with demode and occasionaly nouveau state (7) MOLDOVA {M}{OLD}{nOuVeAu}

10 Party bet on rich widow (7) DOWAGER {DO}{WAGER}

11 Smell from well-to-do urban centres (5) ODOUR [T]

13 America baptised initially by taking over English ecclesiatic institution (5) ABBEY {A}{Ba...d}{B{E}Y}

15 Irritate less! No to an extent! (3) A?Y (Addendum ANY ANnoY - See comments)

16 Idiot questions king's ousting (3) ASS ASkS

17 A fantastic rent for cavern (5) ANTRE {A}{RENT*}

19 The world is round basically with large spin (5) TWIRL {The}{Wo..d}{Is}{Ro..d}{L}

21 My quest - distilling small time exotic wine (5) YQUEM {YQUEM}*{S+T}=MY QUEST

23 Extra publicity by gangster! (3-2) ADD-ON {AD}{DON}

24 Money in petroleum (3) LEU [HIPS]

25 Use leather to make a case (3) SUE*

26 Live to party endlessly by pool (5) DWELL {Do}{WELL}

28 Hard one put in cryptic grid (5) RIGID {R{1}GID*}

29 Common tin perhaps for vegetarian (7) AVERAGE {AVERAGE+TIN}*=VEGETARIAN

31 British rich flying around on world's busiest airways! (7) BRONCHI {B}{R{ON}CHI*}

33 & 34 Voter list and EC role? Lost all fights! (9,5) ELECTORAL ROLLS* One R less in Fodder

34 See 33

DOWN

1   Passing test mostly or fairly passing now and then (9) TEMPORARY {TEMPt}{OR}{fAiRlY}

2   Cosmetics part reportedly going to derelict son (4-3) ROLL-ONS {(~role)ROLL}{SON*}

3   Seek women's love with love (3) WOO {W}{0}{0}

4   Daydream about holding back President! (5) OBAMA [T<=]

5   Friendship has purpose (3) END [HIPS]

6   Crude criminal giving up diamonds for wife (5) BAWDY BA(-d+w)WDY

7   An Asian at fights for fat Ghanaian (7) AFGHANI  {AFGHANI+AN+AT}*=FAT GHANAIAN

8   Untidy, tidy or finally untidy! (5) DIRTY {TIDY+oR}*

12 Land of honest men (5) REALM {REAL}{M}

14 Rear line (5) BREED [DD]

18 Time to relax or tantalise (5) TEASE {T}{EASE}

19 Ultimately laserjet printer has one inside! (5) TONER {l..eT}{p...eR} over {ONE} &lit

20 The one in Paris, removes water for dirty clothes (9) LAUNDRIES {LA}{UN}{DRIES}

22 Luke playing well occasionally with English guitar (7) UKELELE {LUKE}*{wElL}{E}

24 Judicious native hosted Gandhi on vacation (7) LOGICAL {LO{Ga..hI}CAL}

25 Time for large plan, say (5) STATE S(-l+t)TATE

26 Traded in homemade altarpieces (5) DEALT [T]

27 Progressive artist ignored slander (5) LIBEL LIBEraL

30 Sin in locker room (3) ERR [T]

32 Paddle board on the inside (3) OAR [HIPS]

Reference List

Men = M, Party = DO, America = A, English = E, King = K, Large = L, Small = S, Time = T, British = B, Women = W, Diamonds = D, Wife = W, The and one in French = LA, UN, Artist = RA

Special, Sunday 15 Feb 2026, Veeyares

Three answers per commenter till 1 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)

Enjoy.

The Hindu Cryptic on Sunday No 43, 15 Feb 2026, Arden

ACROSS

1   Other ways to occupy dead ruin (3,5) LAY WASTE {LA{WAYS*}TE}

5   One who leads not a school of fish (6) KIPPER sKIPPER

10 Business acquires original plays and music (7) CALYPSO {C{PLAY*}O}

11 A small car is for small intestinal roundworms (7) ASCARIS {A}{S}{CAR}{IS}

12 Cut shooter into two parts (5) SHORN {S}{HORN}

13 German song describes love in a single lounge (3,6) LIE AROUND {LIE{A}{R{O}UN}D}

14 The objective of a church rebel could be a contentious issue among the public (5,7) CAUSE CELEBRE {CAUSE}{CE}{REBEL*}

18 Financial resources trail leaves uniform lines (5,7) PURSE STRINGS {PURSuE}{STRINGS}

21 Form shows current state is traditional (9) CLASSICAL {CLASS}{I}{CAL}

23 Old South American is preserved (5) INCAN {IN CAN}

24 It reduces visibility - starts raining and later cold wind (7) MISTRAL {MIST}{Ra...g}{And}{La..r}

25 Royal without guard - essentially put at risk (7) IMPERIL IMPERIaL

26 Cut equal sides for a change (6) NICKEL {NICK}{EquaL}

27 Brief binge drinking - peg knocked back (8) FLEETING {FL{TEE<=}ING}

DOWN

1   Crop destroyer not even once overcome by hunger (6) LOCUST {L{OnCe}UST}

2   Call from the centre of town for chicken (6) YELLOW {YELL}{tOWn}

3   Supplement application shortly before closing time (9) APPENDAGE {APP}{END}{AGE}

4   Difficult to predict the outcome - so collect a tool anyway (3,5,2,4) TOO CLOSE TO CALL*

6   Bring on as part of the main curriculum (5) INCUR [T]

7   Upsets by means of unusual burst (8) PERTURBS {PER}{BURST*}

8  Feels sorry about other side as they're left behind (8) RESIDUES {R{SIDE*}UES}

9   Elk running around capital hill? Don't worry, relax (4,1,5,4) TAKE A CHILL PILL {ELK+CAPITAL+HILL}* 

15 Harry appealing for a bonus (9) LAGNIAPPE*

16 Tailor not even many pieces to make a sample (8) SPECIMEN {MaNy+PIECES}*

17 Crisis at random during an early period of earth's history (8) TRIASSIC*

19 First of all, one can try reducing one's individual duty (6) OCTROI Acrostic

20 Relatively short to go up - it's clear (6) UNCLOG {UNCLe}{GO<=}

22 By Saturday, Yen sees an upswing (5) SURGE {S}{URGE}

Reference List

School = S, Business = CO, Small = S, Hooter = HORN, Church = CE, Uniform = U, Peg = TEE, Saturday = S

No 14717, Saturday 14 Feb 2026, Vidwan

 

Rangoli by Gowri

ACROSS
8 Civil servant's inside job - a business! (4) BABU [T]
9 Officer Bruce, a universal criminal and traitor! (10) BUREAUCRAT {BRUCE A U}*{RAT}
10 Sleeping after completion of work? (10) RETIREMENT D&CD
11 Chinese Army's new stratagem (4) PLAN {PLA}{N}
12 Oddly, unborn child is not important! (3-5) NON-ISSUE {uNbOrN}{ISSUE}
15 Twisted arm to catch a small lump (6) NUGGET {GUN<}{GET}
16 Workers having a say (4) MEAN {ME{A}N}
17 Fly over large star (5) SOLAR {SO{L}AR}
18 Some fab band (4) ABBA [T] &Lit

20 Standard coin, one married men love trading (6) COMMON {CO(-i+M+M+O)N}
22 Judge donning a piece of underwear is mockery (8) TRAVESTY {TR{A}{VEST}Y}
24 Show how something works in working mode (4) DEMO*
25 Piper show arranged by royal lover (10) WORSHIPPER {PIPER SHOW}*{R}
28 Pass optional subject, without opening joint (10) COLLECTIVE {COL}{eLECTIVE}
29 Sister has ordinary name that could be proper, say (4) NOUN {N{O}UN}

DOWN
1 Break wind! Pay attention! (4,4) TAKE NOTE {TAKE}{NOTE} Take=break? Wind to be broken as Win d. Win=Take and D is note. See Comments.
2 Some Jazz uninitiated American (4) ZUNI [T]

3 Base by base, building monasteries (6) ABBEYS*
4 Losing power? Get rid of advocate! (4) URGE {pURGE}
5 Moving quicker over almost new belt (8) FASTENER {FASTE{NEw}R}
6 Reprobate criminal recces a gap (10) SCAPEGRACE*
7 Princess of Wales has a royal method of self-defence (6) KARATE {K{A}{R}ATE}

13 Local men endlessly loyal, sadly just for show! (2,4,4) IN NAME ONLY {INN}{MEN LOYAl}*
14 Success! Soar perhaps to get escalator! (5) ECLAT {SOAR+ECLAT}*=ESCALATOR [CA]
17 Smooth timeless enchantress's wrap (8) SANDWICH {SAND}{WItCH}
19 Pander to local revolutionary crushing state (6,2) BUTTER UP {PUB<} around {UTTER}
21 Small cat, perhaps coolest! (6) OCELOT {S+OCELOT}*=COOLEST [CA]

23 More shady than teller pilfering cents (6) ASHIER {cASHIER}
26 Losing power fast? Loot! (4) RAID {RApID}
27 Delinquent one goes for uniform colour (4) PUNK {P(-i+U)NK}

REFERENCE LIST

Universal=U, New=N, Large=L, Love=0=O, One=I, Married=M, Men=M, Royal=R, Ordinary=O, Power=P, Time=T, Small=S, Cents=C, Uniform=U.

No 14716, Friday 13 Feb 2026, Pixie Dust

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

7   Middle letters from birdbrains I'd eliminate (6) INSIDE [T]

8   Returning last minute, accepting present? It's fine (8) ETHEREAL {LATE<=} over {HERE}

9   Rated settlement? (8) TRADEOFF {RATED}* [RA]

10 Lewd flier cycling around a liberal (6) RIBALD {(+d)DBIR(-d)<=} over {A}{L} Around on double duty?

11 So, this state broadcast rubs police? (8) REPUBLIC {REPUBLIC+SO}*=RUBS POLICE [CA]

12 Maxim and Carol circling a yard (6) SAYING {S{A}{Y}ING}

13 Beyond doubt, I register popular name at first (11) INDUBITABLE {I}{TABLE}<={IN}{DUB}

18 Every now and then they answer to China (3,3) TEA SET {ThEy+AnSwEr+To}

20 Assist old boyfriend with exercise and fluid diet (8) EXPEDITE {EX}{PE}{DIET*}

22 Steer clear of unlimited mess, aches? Eww! (6) ESCHEW{mESs}{aCHEs}{eWw}

23 Keep pace with components in vintage Qualis engines (8) EQUALISE [T]

24 Skin inflammations from contaminated buns and pots (8) SUNBURNS {BUNS*}{URNS}

25 Rodents returned in house I vacated (6) CAVIES [T<=]

DOWN

1   Hide! Harsh breathing sound's smothering king Lear at first (7) SNORKEL {SNOR{K}E}{Lear} Snorkel/Hide?

2   Catch daughter with boy? Can lead to this irritating condition (8) WINDBURN {WIN}{D}{B}{URN}

3   Move back from extremely repulsive snake (6) RECOIL {Re...vE}{COIL}

4   Is parent over maid's allure? (8) CHARISMA {IS}{MA}<=>{CHAR}

5   German massage, extremely bawdy and seedy (6) GRUBBY {G}{RUB}{BawdY}

6   Sailor brought up bar's ladder (7) RATLINE {TAR<=}{LINE}

8   Evict fans, exploited repeatedly for success? Use unconventional festive fences (13) EFFECTIVENESS*

14 Chewed up raw donut? Unfortunate (8) UNTOWARD*

15 Lovely ad about honey (8) LADYLOVE*

16 Spooner exclaims: "Look at waste matter in nourishing food!" (3,4) PEA SOUP (~ see poop to pea soup)

17 Stores scarves without original tags (7) STASHES {S{Tags}ASHES}

19 Persons of authority in New Delhi basically swaggering and haughty, intolerant, bossy, supercilious (6) SAHIBS Acrostic

21 Bob covering head, follows Prince in attack (6) POUNCE {bOUNCE}<=>{P}

Reference List

Yard = Y, Old boyfriend = EX, Exercise = PE, King = K, Daughter = D, Boy = B, German = G, Prince = P

No 14715, Thursday 12 Feb 2026, Pixie Dust

Solution to 20D has been deliberately left unsolved and is to be answered 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

1   Plasticine managed to protect films (6) CINEMA [T]

5   Grade repeated often, it's observed? (8) REGARDED Letter Bank

9   These drill masters go about doing tests? (8) DENTISTS {DENTISTS+GO}*=DOING TESTS [CA]

10 A new promise but not a solution (6) ANSWER {A}{N}{SWEaR}

11 Run dog in park? (10) PLAYGROUND {RUN+DOG}* [RA]

12 Prized animal caught (4) DEAR (~deer)

13 According to the Reverend, bald assistant can keep locks in place? (8) HAIRBAND (~bare hand to hairband)

16 Relative accusing stationer's missing every now and then (6) AUNTIE {AccUsiNg+sTatIonErs}

17 Brown caught sweet model escaping (6) COFFEE {C}{tOFFEE}

19 Eggs, nuts, lentils and meat perhaps delivered for adolescents (8) PROTEINS {~pro teens}

21 Politically correct leaders were overwhelmingly knowledgeable. Extraordinary! (4) WOKE Acrostic

22 Celebrity on holiday forgets about hunger (10) STARVATION {STAR}{VAcaTION}

25 Skimpy elite insiders let off (6) LITTLE {eLITe}{LET*}

26 Soon time will change feelings (8) EMOTIONS*

27 That man's describing Bill in grand captions (8) HEADINGS {HE{AD}{IN}{G}S}

28 Cuts small fruits (6) SPEARS {S}{PEARS}

DOWN

2   Guide allowed to display model (5) IDEAL [T]

3   Want to cycle around end of forest and river opening (5) ENTRY {(-y)EN(+y)Y} over {f...sT}{R}

4   Continent ignoring a large country (7) AUSTRIA AUSTRalIA

5   Dangerous seducer set free (7) RESCUED*

6   Girl managed naughty mad nana (7) GRANDMA {G}{RAN}{MAD*}

7   For a change, desire new, extremely comfortable house (9) RESIDENCE {DESIRE*}{N}{Co...lE}

8   First lady almost possessed by excitement is high (9) ELEVATION {EL{EVe}ATION}

14 Beg pardon! Associate Grace is maintaining journal (9) APOLOGISE {A}{PO{LOG}ISE}

15 Noted umpire chosen ignoring captain (9) REFLECTED {REF}{eLECTED}

18 Festival not at first Levantine (7) EASTERN {EASTER}{Not}

19 Appeals from contenders switching sides (7) PRAYERS P(-l+r)RAYERS

20 Unconcerned when a couple of Lilliputians go missing undisguised (7) O?V?O?S (Addendum - OBVIOUS OBliVIOUS - See comments)

23 Family involved in neonate birth's coming back (5) TRIBE [T<=]

24 Ultimately to somehow in the register, find titleholder (5) OWNER Tail Acrostic

Reference List

New = N, Caught = C, Model = T, About = CA, Bill = AD, Grand = G, Small = S, River = R, Girl = G, Associate = A, Sides = L,R