Two-speed coffeebreak

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

CRYPTIC CLUES

ACROSS

1 Minder gets score altered on time (6) 4 Judge of French space (4) 7 Employed American journalist (4) 8 Started new ode with writer (6) 9 Unfortunate slip of the lips (4) 10 Notice about the ears (4) 12 Possibly airs dress (4) 14 Supporter of sport? (3) 16 Charming around branch (3) 17 Housed around river (4) 20 Criticises cooking vessels (4) 23 One of vital cosmetics (4) 24 Husky or another animal, say (6) 25 Formerly in concert (4) 26 School yet to deal with inflammation (4) 27 Engineers have couple to fix (6)

DOWN

1 Wear down hesitation with poem (5) 2 Cut in personnel (4) 3 Organised tour around key house (5) 4 Lied about store (4) 5 Incorrectly cited small laws (6) 6 Flipping secretary hiding in one tree or another! (5) 11 Isn’t arranging cans (4) 13 Soon get a French veto (4) 15 Use space and stratagem (6) 16 Vehicles considered as out (5) 18 He conducts confusing hotel ruse (5) 19 Woman finds queen transparent (5) 21 Spots cane construction (4) 22 Number from Marianne (4)

QUICK CLUES

ACROSS

1 Chaperone (6) 4 Consider (4) 7 Second-hand (4) 8 Unwrapped (6) 9 Speech defect (4) 10 Of the ears (4) 12 Indian garb (4) 14 Golf peg (3) 16 Limb (3) 17 York’s river (4) 20 Pots (4) 23 Scented powder (4) 24 Croaky (6) 25 On a single occasion (4) 26 Eye infection (4) 27 Mend (6)

DOWN

1 Wear away (5) 2 Ship’s company (4) 3 Royal dynasty (5) 4 Food shop (4) 5 Decrees (6) 6 Syrup used on pancakes? (5) 11 Containers (4) 13 Unknown (4) 15 Utilise (6) 16 Cars (5) 18 Cinema worker (5) 19 Precipitous (5) 21 Skin complaint (4) 22 Operatic solo (4)