The Cryptic: Mungo MacCallum

is a political journalist and commentator and the author of several books. He is

The Saturday Paper’s crossword writer. ACROSS

1. Highly relevant, about right, pretty hot ( 8 )

6. Damn snooper! ( 6 )

9. It doesn’t matter much – ac (6,7)

10. Childless peer we are told ( 6 )

11. Breaking obstacle around very gentle individual pole ( 8 )

13. Screen poem clumsily – make good (10)

15. Regretted impolite utterance ( 4 )

16. Eliot work returned in the mail ( 4 )

18. Region’s pub needs changing, getting over the binge! (8,2)

21. Southern sailor allows promising young actors ( 8 )

22. More ventilated region reported ( 6 )

23. Get fresh gear, set loch (6,7)

25. Roof worker a scuttling pest ( 6 )

26. Knives – Les claps enthusiastically ( 8 ) DOWN

2. Concerning the rental agreement – let it go ( 7 )

3. Prayer to locate nearest port (5,6)

4. Pause, large intestine ( 5 )

5. Raise, suffer Indian boy – a relationship ( 7 )

6. Pirate to report approach following rodeo horse ( 9 )

7. Prepare gun for antelope ( 3 )

8. Three cardinals surround tent in alliance ( 7 )

12. Joint venture to separate. New direction: resistance over small joint (11)

14. Traveller to overtake over green jumble ( 9 )

17. About vision – one across confused, not right ( 7 )

19. Cuts in half British–Indian cults ( 7 )

20. Implement turn, listen intently ( 7 )

22. Scent alternative raised in doctors group ( 5 )

24. A top end worker ( 3 )