CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Monkey is second in running stream (8) 6 Listless way of working on ship at sea (6) 9 Complication in theorist’s first opinion (6)

10 I’m probing a mate’s bitterness (8)

11 Sports event in historic city including one type of jump that’s a bit short (8) 12 Little house completed for old President (6) 13 Musical talent’s tense, dark material (7,5)

16 Key chart shop doctored as kind of extreme measure (5,7) 19 Fencing, say, by a Black Sea region (6)

21 A receptacle holding small article for liqueur (8) 23 Endless wine, refined hock, with starter of potted meat (4,4) 24 Last piece I have should be bit of salad? (6) 25 Colourful area missing from holiday destination (6) 26 Cast spell over element in umpteenth rally (8) DOWN

2 A man serving in a party slowly with notes? (6) 3 Person of limited stature, we’re told, in power (5) 4 Alarm’s let off? Suspect something’s up (5,1,3) 5 Birch maybe retains awe principally in one learning (7) 6 Swampy ground damages hospital (5) 7 Shame about old politician with huge pretentiousness (9) 8 A period normally follows this court judgment (8) 13 Leading figure in a field offering hearty support? (9) 14 Passing rogue in tent’s mobbing artist (9) 15 Kind of grey church on curve over a lake (8) 17 Abridged OT book with more than enough illustration (7) 18 Scoop in southern seaside resort: Liberal comes last (6) 20 Insect concealed under a plant’s head (5) 22 In discussion, a directorial low point (5)