CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS 8 Stormy Weather overwhelms a songster (8) 9 Forge commonplace name as front for unknown quantity (6) 10 Agent keeps Rex nimble (4) 11 Recover consciousness — and die as result? (4,2,4) 12 Two separate points in landing-place could make you groggy (6) 14 Passing over treeless area (8) 15 Make a takeover bid in the air (7) 17 Trace undergarment — one, say, that has been returned (7) 20 Stick bond with glue coming unstuck (8) 22 Article by church dignitary of South American eminence (6) 23 Announced more placid rambling (10) 24 Founder of football body I left (4) 25 Joins together tunes I composed (6) 26 Patent a clever gripping thing to wave about (8)

DOWN 1 Rodent bit sandwiches

I’m holding quietly (8) 2 Last character coming

in to cut grass is dim (4) 3 Catch sight of Swedes crying, seeing display of centre half! (6) 4 Unpleasant expert

gives scowl (7) 5 Weariest after running

around, in a way (2,2,4) 6 Stopped swallowing whisky, perhaps dejected (10) 7 So uplifting, tucking into

cold chicken selected (6) 13 Notice little Judith in hearing, little Catherine being judge (10) 16 Crack up in the mountains (8) 18 I dig all wild hedging round flowers (8) 19 Enliven an Ulster companion (7) 21 Animal seizing artist

round throat (6) 22 Burning some garden trash (6) 24 Loud friend turns up

— panic! (4)