The Hindu Cryptic on Sunday No 61, Sunday 21 Jun 2026,Arden

Artwork by Prasanna

Three answers per commenter till 4 PM (Annotations Compulsory)

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ACROSS

1   Perhaps able to get one married shortly - it's naturally fertilizing (8) BONEMEAL {B{ONE}{Ma...d}EAL*}

5   Rollover I have overlooked... (6) WAIVED {WA{I'VE}D}

10 ...and committed to restrict (7) STAUNCH 

11 Old sailors found, say, a mini wearing girl (7) LASCARS {LAS{CAR}S}

12 Found before court (5) ERECT {ERE}{CT}

13 Strange predilections - not done at face value (4,5) LIST PRICE PREdILeCTIonS*

14 Propagation in half the country (12) INSEMINATION {IN}{SEMI}{NATION}

18 Provide cleanest side for a diner (12) DELICATESSEN* 

21 One on the wagon with a black paint (9) ABSTAINER {A}{B}{STAINER}

23 Cover empty drawer and copy (5) DRAPE {Dr..eR}{APE}

24 In my opinion, covering history is like a painting technique (7) IMPASTO {IM{PAST}O}

25 Country in Europe, is not a representation (7) ESTONIA {E}{IS+NOT+A}*

26 Some are present at a mid-week rush (6) TATAMI [T]

27 Harry Morgan's taking time for such a short distance (8) ANGSTROM {ANGS{T}ROM*}

DOWN

1   Breed born with wealth (6) BASSET {B}{ASSET}

2   Spruce up when finally consumed (6) NEATEN {wheN}{EATEN}

3   "Pick-me-up after one" - sung in a flat pitch (9) MONOTONIC {TONIC}<=>{MONO}

4   Wind and clothesline - metaphorically, seen as a vulnerability (8,6) ACHILLES TENDON*

6   Story-teller makes one sit up (5) AESOP {POSE}{A}<=

7   Perhaps Putin's angry rival is getting clueless (8) VLADIMIR {RIVAL}* over {DIM}

8   Detects record reprints - not counting the odd ones (8) DISCERNS {DISC}{rEpRiNtS}

9   Various cults around Singapore could be seen in a theatre (7,7) PLASTIC SURGEON {CULTS+SINGAPORE}*

15 Direct ones acted and they're related (9) ANECDOTES* [CD]

16 Romantic thought and inclination (8) IDEALIST {IDEA}{LIST}

17 Filmed occasionally, photographed outside top Paris strip joint (8) FLESHPOT {FiLmEd}{SH{Pa..s}OT}

19 Standard to disqualify her, they say (6) BANNER (~ban her)

20 Soothe with an ointment - cover exposed neck (6) BECALM 

22 State after a pile up (5) ASSAM {A}{MASS<=}

Reference List

Court = CT, Black = B, Europe = E, Time = T, Born = B 

No 14825, Saturday 20 June 2026, Hypatia

 ACROSS
1 Saw grades at first and walked unsteadily around school (8) GLIMPSED {Grades}{LIMP{S}ED}
5 Makes patients consume unlimited drugs (6) CAUSES {CA{drUgs}SES}
10 Some of mine are still closest (7) NEAREST [T]
11 Spotted every now and then, Leonardo must be on the way (2,5) EN ROUTE {lEoNaRdO mUsT bE}
12 Catch hot liquid discharged from the chemical producing resin (5) ELEMI {thE chEMIcaL}*
13 Source of illumination from tip of lamp, one flickering in darkness (4,5) NEON LIGHT{Lamp ONE}* in {NIGHT}

14 Secure investment with a steady income? It's dope! (5,7) FIXED DEPOSIT {IT'S DOPE}* [RA]
18 Are such foods spoiling casino? (5,2,5) HOUSE OF CARDS*
21 Salvaged part of hospital returning to medical complex (9) RECLAIMED {ER<}{CLAIMED*}
23 Initially Arabs brought Yemeni ships safely to Gulf (5) ABYSS [Acrostic]
24 Criminal pushing Ecstasy through sick girl (7) ILLEGAL {ILL}{E}{GAL}
25 Bush shirt embraced by a man going before that woman (7) HEATHER {T} inside {A}<=>{HE}{HER}

26 Stone age building protecting poor men ultimately on time (6) GARNET {AGE}* around {pooR}{meN}+T

27 Audio equipment voyeur heard on board (8) SPEAKERS {PEAKER}(~PEEKER) inside {SS}

DOWN
1 Plant thriving in geranium pots (6) GINGER [T]

2 Pictures Hypatia playing games (6) IMAGES {I}{GAMES*}
3 Drop cost covering diamonds picked up to pawn (9) PRECIPICE {PRICE} around {ICE<}{P}
4 Relatives of former spouse cared for at a filmy set (8,6) EXTENDED FAMILY {EX}{TENDED}{A FILMY}*
6 Leaders of all parties realigned in last month (5) APRIL [Acrostic]
7 Slow // to respond like a bullet? (8) SLUGGISH [D & CD]
8 Suspect a terrorist keeping watch (8) SPECTATE [T]
9 Where to find items people used to sell? (6-4,4) SECOND-HAND SHOP [CD]
15 Meditative stance of director in American space agency with plan to retire (9) PADMASANA {A}{NASA}{M{D}AP}<

16 Spooner's stepping in line? That's lovely (8) CHARMING {Spoonerism of MARCHING}
17 Strong Greek character concealing extremely unusual lesion (8) MUSCULAR {MU}{SC{UnusuaL}AR}
19 Discontented lady these days eating hard oriental fruit (6) LYCHEE{LadY}{C{H}{E}E}

20 Egyptian God of love coming up regularly from said ruins (6) OSIRIS {O}{SaId RuInS}<

22 Fish in corner (5) ANGLE [DD]

REFERENCE LIST

School=S, Hot=H, Part of Hospital=ER (Emergency Room), Ecstasy=E, Man=He, That woman=Her, Time=T, On Board=inside Ship (SS), Pawn=P, Former Spouse=Ex, Director=D, American=A, Space Agency=NASA, These days=CE (Christian Era), Oriental=E, Love=0=O.

No 14824, Friday 19 Jun 2024, Dr. X

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   Start to secure line frantically, return to save new climber (7,6) SCARLET RUNNER {SCAR{L}E}{TRU{N}NER*}

8   Daughter sent back substandard flag (5) DROOP {D}{POOR<=}

9   What happens when you're having fun in liaison, ensnaring married female with fibs (4,5) TIME FLIES {TI{M}E}{F}{LIES}

11 Plainly enthralled by marijuana, stylish lady enters pool (5-5) POINT-BLANK {PO{IN}T}{B{L}ANK}

12 Write yarn about catching mythical creature (4) YETI [T<=]

14 Mental disability in males after a transient ischaemic attack (7) AMENTIA {A}{MEN}{TIA}

16 Cockney thief's remarkable feat, stealing each jewel finally (3,4) TEA-LEAF {T{EA}{j..eL}EAF*}

17 Trendy type embracing husband briefly (2,5) IN SHORT {IN}{S{H}ORT}

19 Rescue Liberal arrested by brute (7) SALVAGE {SA{L}VAGE}

21 One beginning to butcher old mountain goat (4) IBEX {1}{B0}{EX}

22 How people at a funeral might be making a profit (2,3,5) IN THE BLACK [DD]

25 Be proud in enclosure after winning bronze medal at centre (5,4) STAND TALL {S{TAN}{meDal}TALL}

26 Polish male crushed by English goal (5) EMEND {E}{M}{END}

27 Memorable times, say, dancing after wine with character on date (3-6,4) RED-LETTER DAYS {SAY*}<=>{RED}{LETTER}{D}

DOWN

2   Connoisseur at opening tucking into exquisite frozen dessert (4-3) CHOC-ICE {CHO{Co...r}ICE}

3   Character helping to smuggle Ecstasy, say (10) REPUTATION {R{E}{PUT}ATION} 

4   Praise leader of elected group, returning after winning vote (5) EXTOL {El...d}{LOT<=} over {X}

5   Thinks about developing antiserum (9) RUMINATES*

6   Unpleasant smell at home repulsed fellows (4) NIFF {IN<=}{FF}

7   Be taken aback by extremely elderly European's malevolent glare (4,3) EVIL EYE {LIVE<=}{El...lY}{E}

8   Immoral acts of perverted padre on six tapes (11) DEPRAVITIES {PADRE*}{VI}{TIES}

10 Obstinate lass finally kissed after quarrel (5-6) STIFF-NECKED {lasS}{NECKED}<=>{TIFF}

13 One's living in fear, having trouble with ultimately nasty Mob (5,5) DAILY BREAD {D{AIL}{n..tY}{moB}READ}

15 Case of abhorrent lodger throttling Dutch escort (9) ATTENDANT {Ab...nT}{TEN{D}ANT}

18 Discover hole around bottom of pipe resulting in leak (7) SEEPAGE {SEE}{GAP<=}{pipE}

20 Lady came out, dropping learner in school (7) ACADEMY {lADY+CAME}*

23 Handle a little hitch day before hosting fifty (5) HELVE {Hitch}{E{L}VE}

24 I perform with Latin superstar (4) IDOL {I}{DO}{L}

Reference List

Line = L, Daughter = D, Married = M, Female = F, Lady = L, Each = EA, Husband = H, Liberal = L, Male = M, English = E, Wine = RED, Date = D, Ecstasy = E, Vote = X, Fellow = F, European = E, Dutch = D, Learner = L, Fifty = L, Latin = L

No 14823, Thursday 18 Jun 2026, Dr. X

Solution to 3D 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

1   Say plainly what one thinks of boy stealing top and denims slyly (5,4,4) SPEAK ONES MIND {S{PEAK}ON}{DENIMS*}

8   Vitality in bedroom, phenomenal (5) OOMPH [T]

9   In addition to iodine, uranium found in unusual chemical element (9) RUTHENIUM {THEN}{I}{U} in {RUM}

11 Speculating in article on crypto finally going up (10) THEORISING {THE}{c...tO}{RISING}

12 Roll with bit of cheese and cream (4) COIL {Ch...e}{OIL}

14 Quickly controls anger, being most dispassionate (7) FAIREST {FA{IRE}ST}

16 Vaguely stealthy, consuming ecstasy behind toilet (7) LOOSELY {S{E}LY}<=>{LOO}

17 Policeman's suggestion to catch international head of criminals (7) OFFICER {OFF{I}{Cr...s}ER}

19 Really skilful ball, trapping Australia's opener on hundred (2,5) DE FACTO {DEFT}{0} over {Au...a}{C}

21 A little kid painting small motor-racing vehicle (4) KART {Kid}{ART}

22 Bar-hopped in Peru on vacation and fought outside clubs (3-7) PUB-CRAWLED {PerU}{B{C}RAWLED}

25 Checking lump in body (9) THWARTING {TH{WART}ING}

26 India's top star in retreat getting close to hottie is engaged (2,3) IN USE {In...s}{SUN<=}{h...iE}

27 High-strung European overwhelmed by myalgic problem and high blood sugar in US (13) HYPERGLYCEMIA {HYPER}{GLYC{E}MIA*}

DOWN

2   Show that is about Italy's archaeological site (7) POMPEII {POMP}{IE<=}{I}

3   Hate blunder in retrospect, taken in by rogue on beach (10) A?H?R?E?C?  (Addendum - ABHORRENCE {ERR<=} in {ON+BEACH}* - See comments)

4   Root's run out, taken aback by abrupt leap (5) ORRIS {RO<=}{RISe}

5   Twisted knee after a little tumble in finale (9) ENTANGLED {ANGLE}<=>{Tu...e} in [END}

6   Patient beginning to moan with cry of fright (4) MEEK {Moan}{EEK}

7   Smelly moose in compound (7) NOISOME*

8   Where thief might take wallet, being without money (3,2,6) OUT OF POCKET [DD]

10 Awfully comely doll captivating daughter's baby (11) MOLLYCODDLE {COMELY+DOLL} over {D}

13 Wild animal mauled emir at compound (10) WOLFRAMITE {WOLF}{EMIR+AT}*

15 Distressing nonsense about code-breaker (9) TORTURING {ROT<=}{TURING}

18 Dreamy fellow beginning to attract women in a flash (7) FARAWAY {F} with {At...t}{W} in {A}{RAY}

20 Contact medicos at centre about copper getting kidney stones (7) CALCULI {CAL{CU}L}{medIcos}

23 Secretive Academy Award-winning actor concealing name (5) CAGEY CAGnEY

24 Real crazy brute killing bishop (4) TRUE bRUTE*

Reference List

Unusual = RUM, Ecstasy = E, Toilet = LOO, International = I, Hundred = C, Clubs = C, European = E, Italy = I, Run out = RO, Daughtr = D, Fellow = F, Women = W, Name = N, Bishop = B