THE CROSSWORD

CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS

1 A treatise closely followed by speech (5) 8 Piano piece - a very small one (8) 9 Weapon for general about 50 (5) 10 Marine creature has first to mutate (8) 11 Tramp seen in a group of trees (5) 12 Mother’s retired uncle in America (3) 16 Squirm like a man after a summons? (6) 17 British sailors occupy a border town in Holland (6) 18 A footnote about a creeper (3) 23 Get up about mid-morning and wash (5) 24 Wild pig in its own fat calls for old port (8) 25 Most important eastern state (5) 26 Potential pile boss may make (8) 27 Instrument adds nothing to a little room (5)

DOWN

2 Rare lily found broken in the chaff (8) 3 Great misfortune for Jane? (8) 4 Girl to ruin fancy hat (6) 5 Rear to be tough (5) 6 Bill free of bitterness? (5) 7 I held out to obtain capital (5) 12 Deep container of salt (3) 13 It directs a politician to go outside (3) 14 Pass on information that’s personal (8) 15 Own no pearls perhaps (8) 19 Quiet little brook that’s high-pitched and piercing (6) 20 Dropped off spelt incorrectly (5) 21 Get over being angry (5) 22 He requires fifty in hard cash (5)

QUICK CLUES ACROSS

1 Conspicuously wrong (5) 8 Unchallengeable (4-4) 9 Gate (5) 10 Refuse to change (5,3) 11 Point in development (5) 12 Ask humbly (3) 16 Disturb calmness of (6) 17 Eradicate (6) 18 Make severe demands on (3) 23 Sham attack (5) 24 Height of fashion (3,3,2) 25 Worker in stone (5) 26 Pass without serious effects (4,4) 27 Indolence (5)

DOWN

2 Sound genuine (4,4) 3 Dismiss as unimportant (5,3) 4 A covering (6) 5 Retard growth of (5) 6 Break out suddenly (5) 7 Harmony (5) 12 Wager (3) 13 Make fun of (3) 14 Rapid uncontrolled descent (4,4) 15 Confirmed (5,3) 19 Rough and uneven (6) 20 A brindled cat (5) 21 Despondency (5) 22 Loud cry in exultation (5)