{ THE CROSSWORDS }

CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS

1 Sheep providing tufty wool (5)

8 Calculates that the factory must now be on strike (5,3)

9 Firm I sold out (5)

10 Terrier breed Ena transformed (8)

11 He goes into top gear - at a very low rate (5) 12 Take a chance with the better half (3) 16 Colourless type out on bail (6)

17 Unnatural cunning (6)

18 Chest expander (3)

23 Intends to change names (5)

24 The takings to pass on to somebody else? (8) 25 Starring roles for ushers (5)

26 Diana’s bloomer will result in catastrophe (8) 27 Frank can be obtuse (5)

DOWN

2 Noose offering escape? (8)

3 A number claim it is changeable, like the weather (8)

4 Twice appearing as an understudy (6) 5 Go around in a woman’s garment (5)

6 Want a partner for animal surgery? (5)

7 Where one may sit or get to one’s feet (5) 12 Large jungle creeper (3)

13 It helps to make road repairs a work of art (3) 14 Herein a peculiar tale, out of this world (8) 15 Attacked and made to run? (6,2)

19 The evergreen trees that baffle exiles (6) 20 Room for mental improvement, perhaps (5) 21 Many get reckless and have a smash (5)

22 Trick includes nothing to cause provocation (5)

QUICK CLUES ACROSS

1 Large marine mammal (5) 8 Most memorable feature (4,4) 9 Silly (5)

10 Infectious (8)

11 Sumptuous meal (5)

12 Taxi (3)

16 Capital of Colombia (6)

17 Greek capital (6)

18 Unnaturally pale (3)

23 To faint (5)

24 Tchaikovsky ballet (4,4)

25 Wish for enviously (5)

26 Envoy (8)

27 Mutual agreement (5)

DOWN

2 Sycophantic follower (6-2) 3 Venture unlikely to succeed (8) 4 Albanian capital (6)

5 Throw (5)

6 Plunder (5)

7 Point in development (5)

12 Cry of crow (3)

13 Prohibit (3)

14 Decisive confrontation (8) 15 Blameless (8)

19 Capital of Turkey (6)

20 Up to now (2,3)

21 To quibble (5)

22 Force of explosion (5)