CRYPTIC CLUES

ACROSS

1 Transport favourite rug (6) 4 Notice blemish (4)

7 The shape of cricket in London? (4)

8 Ranted about being passionate (6)

9 Hire in Brentwood (4)

10 Keen sort of diva (4)

12 Auction ales off (4)

14 German has a French weapon (3)

16 Perform in Clacton (3)

17 Line travelled by waterway (4) 20 Hot place in Coventry (4)

23 Poet loses right to residence (4) 24 Sensitive offer (6)

25 Lies about some land (4)

26 Group ready to get caught (4) 27 Moving so near ground (6)

DOWN

1 Excellent study group (5) 2 Prudence gets discourteous (4) 3 Whole time alto was performing (5)

4 Possibly airs a dress (4) 5 Promise to put pressure on sill (6)

6 Giant bird article (5)

11 Revealing about schnitzel (4) 13 Queen seen in banner (4)

15 A cat in charge at a very small level (6)

16 Has lost directions to trophy (5) 18 Bury in hinterlands (5)

19 That woman no different to a bird (5)

21 Invested with underwear (4) 22 Unusual to get second chances (4) Solutions in tomorrow’s Irish Daily Mirror