CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Ruin atmosphere getting upset (4) 3 Item found in medicine cupboard — toss sample out (5,5) 8 Hear what slurring soprano did in Asian city (8) 9 Advertising spot (6) 10 Source making old gear fashionable (6) 11 Creature needing place to sleep over with utility (8) 13 & 25 Novel theory of retirement after working (4,4,2,8) 14 Garden tool used around yard by northern tomboy (6) 16 Strong desire to have time with modern British artist (6) 19 Where to get cleaner putting brush around at hotel (8) 21 Sample mince pies cooked — one missing (8) 22 Tell high-ranking churchman to dismiss priest initially (6) 23 Again charge football official with evil (6) 24 Provoke trouble with vocal quartet in a comedy item (3,3,2) 25 See 13 26 Antelope’s short dash (4)

DOWN

1 Sweet daughter is first to perplex (9) 2 Comfortingly met distressed star of 13, 25 (10,5) 3 Improve in French given opportunity, missing start (7) 4 Rod’s back, entertaining 550 (7) 5 Top person working in parade (7) 6 Internet nuisance trapped by honeypot — an undoing for novelist (7,8) 7 Strain is rising on first lady (5) 12 Take action to court girl (3) 15 May is here — figure to catch up (6,3) 17 Trendy joint (3) 18 Glass component of lock (7) 19 Asian person and English briefly visiting island (7) 20 Knight detained by Middle-Eastern country jailer (7) 21 Swagger in bar (5)

Friday’s Puzzle Solved