GUARDIAN CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Scratching head, Joy embraces a certain female with pride (7) 5 Saw man chasing British online commentator (7) 9 Are next to improbably huge robin (9) 10 Reportedly followed progress of parcel (5) 11 A bit of a kip after extremes of heartache and passion (4) 12 Cook it with fennel or with spinach (10) 14 According to hearsay, ogle slim woman (6) 15 Team keeping discontented rattlesnake by itself (7) 16 It gets under the feet of two mums, trapped by routine (4,3) 18 Partly malarial Torcello, a Venetian island (6) 20 Incensed at people rejecting seconds, start to convulse and twitch (10) 21 Runs into Hebrew sage, perhaps (4) 24 See 23 Down 25 Sick brother leaves NY street after thief’s confession (2,1,3,3) 26 See 23 27 Poet describing you poetically as “first in her field” (7)

DOWN

1 Set off without a meal (5) 2 To Riga, migrating without paperwork (7) 3 Real origins of European common toad probed by Henry (4) 4 Coatis cling and spit, unusually obstructive course of action (8,7) 5 Singer tries to rebel after ban on underwear on beach (6,9) 6 Once oddly tense and thin, resembling a stop sign (10) 7 First to grow more delicate Alpine flower? (7) 8 Half-heartedly withdraw commercial for tyre (7) 13 “Pay me later!”, ordered Co-operative worker (4,6) 16 Child’s hero ignoring case of betrayal (7) 17 Took bung for throwing match (4,3) 19 Stars in east, south and west in conjunction (3,4) 22 Nice article supporting young male scientist (5) 23,24,26 Grumpy pal with piles first delivers annual greeting (4,5,7)