Two-speed coffeebreak

Two sets of clues – but the answers are the same.

CRYPTIC CLUES

ACROSS 1 Prompt about missing bodyguard (6) 4 Maintain part of castle (4) 7 Musical growth (4) 8 Follow super new course round university (6) 9 Forest club (4) 10 Maid ran between (4) 12 Save broken receptacle (4) 14 Fewer around animal (3) 16 Silver on a stove (3) 17 Queen seen in banner (4) 20 Somehow pose as something valuable (4) 23 Young dog and a smaller youngster (4) 24 Damage volunteers with a rum cocktail (6) 25 Creepy-sounding lake (4) 26 One’s worked for a long time (4) 27 Points to terribly neat upper chamber (6)

DOWN

1 Sulked on a bike (5) 2 Usual guy (4) 3 Hears about birds (5) 4 Fruit for a creature (4) 5 Wore down point to odder shape (6) 6 Drape around cleric (5) 11 Intend to be unpleasant (4) 13 Heard a girl’s sad cry (4) 15 Chance to laugh with quiet writer (6) 16 Enough to have beer with politician (5) 18 Observes memos (5) 19 Oppressed worker left during rescue (5) 21 Hearsay about organs (4) 22 Gold gives artist quality (4)

QUICK CLUES

ACROSS 1 Babysitter (6) 4 Retain (4) 7 Fur (4) 8 Chase (6) 9 Timber (4) 10 Amongst (4) 12 Urn (4) 14 Female sheep (3) 16 Ottoman ruler (3) 17 Princess Royal (4) 20 Currency unit (4) 23 Immature insect (4) 24 Distressing experience (6) 25 Great Lake (4) 26 Ages (4) 27 Government assembly (6)

DOWN 1 Motorcycle (5) 2 Average (4) 3 Flightless birds (5) 4 New Zealander, informally (4) 5 Worn away (6) 6 Military clergyman (5) 11 Miserly (4) 13 Expression of woe (4) 15 Occur (6) 16 Sufficient (5) 18 Short letters (5) 19 Servant (5) 21 Heads of corn (4) 22 Atmosphere (4)

Solutions in next week’s Sunday Mirror