CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 English bobby in helmet? A cool dude (6) 5 Celebrity female is accompanying husband, a swimmer (8) 9 Take lingerers apart in a situation wreaking havoc with the economy? (7,6) 10 I concede, having admitted small number with insufficient know-how (8) 11 Remember everyone at the sports ground (6) 12 A soldier enters a party in leisurely fashion (6) 14 I, having taken a bash after school, must get foot treatment (8) 16 Given external stimulus, mean fellow almost made a commitment (8) 19 ‘Character’ – a nut wandering about (6) 21 Crows left penned in by animals (6) 23 Refuse to accept sailor, one hiding head by entrance (8) 25 Some toiler got mad – a person who can tell what’s in the air (13) 26 Spotted having little kiss in winter vehicle (8) 27 Royal family exciting characters in Stroud (6)

DOWN

2 Occupied, showing purpose – good time to get stuck in (7) 3 Worker in firm produces piece of poetry (5) 4 Fighters moved very quickly, pursued by a blonde bombshell (9) 5 Pulpits badly produced come apart (5,2) 6 Female MP once in a never? ending rage (5) 7 Over-smart church sculptures? Such may be seen in lecture (4,5) 8 S. Pickwick’s valet, one to bulge out (7) 13 My acting’s absurdly acrobatic (9) 15 Maybe enjoying restaurant clamour and latest taste? (6,3) 17 Go round with cleaner to get bit of food (7) 18 Red card – feature of a ball game (7) 20 One goes round rubbish dumped on a hill (7) 22 Stolen stuff’s turning up in seat (5) 24 Liberal admitted to good Scottish society (5)