Daily hard — 2026-10-12

Across

1. 4. Cooking vessel often associated with shellfish (10)
2. 5. Popular dish made from a purple vegetable (11)
3. 6. Ceremony promise at the Olympic Games, recently in French (11)
4. 8. Used in sonar technology to determine distances underwater. (10)
5. 10. Nightspot popular with unattached patrons. (10)
6. 14. Event to collect gifts for children in need (8)
7. 18. The US Treasury Secretary during the Civil War (12)
8. 19. Site of the 2011 nuclear accident during a tsunami. (9)

Down

1. 1. Area where pilots control the aircraft. (10)
2. 2. Plant known to be used in traditional medicine and cooking. (10)
3. 3. This group features a lead vocalist who starred in 'The Wrecking Crew' (11)
4. 6. Title of a 2018 album by the band The Frights. (11)
5. 7. A person who is adept at handling horses or tough situations. (10)
6. 9. Broadcast a dramatic radio adaptation of 'The War of the Worlds' (11)
7. 11. These joyous eruptions are sometimes called belly shakers. (11)
8. 12. Creator of the magic potion in a Belgian comic series (9)
9. 13. Job title often found in fast food restaurants, cooking up burgers. (7)
10. 15. What a band does when concluding a performance. (8)
11. 16. Frankfurt club, last seen in the UEFA Champions League playoffs (9)
12. 17. Comic book character often paired with a caped crusader (6)