DAILY BRAIN TEASERS

Across

1 Artist, extremely reclusive, seldom seen (4)

3 Record an album and leave? (4,6)

9 Intensive publicity could get one over-excited, no end (4)

10 Habitually serious type, West Indies cricketer carrying team (10)

11 Porter collecting mail for preacher (7)

13 Bomb English knight planted in station (7)

14 Spy that’s centre stage, strangely (6,5)

18 Bound to get on diving platform (11)

21 Current examination involving married male is unethical (7)

22 Secret spilled about opening of Phantom and

Ghost? (7)

23 Perhaps an orrery some called weird (5,5)

24 A head of state entering church in a suit (4)

25 In a vulnerable position abroad regarding a member (3,2,1,4)

26 Perfect sweet to suck? (4)

Down

1 Practise tries again close to line (8)

2 Rebuke for getting within range (8)

4 Pay for some treat on expenses (5)

5 Standard always set on putting area (9)

6 Fairly well-to-do peers working on Conservative board (11)

7 Fishing dispute: a crowd assembled (3,3)

8 Nun is over, back briefly (6)

12 One able to deal with a service? (4,7)

15 One had, changing oil for pal (5,4)

16 Smoked beef I topped with old butter (8)

17 Sticking with that woman during a depression (8)

19 Disaster in Formula One when company goes under (6)

20 Impression made by politician blocking one piece of legislation (6)

22 Power demonstrated by singular crew (5)

Across

1 Firth of Clyde island (4) 4 Simplicity (4)

8 Jump (4) 9 Treacherous (9) 11 Reach (6)

13 Beg (7) 15 Climax (6) 16 Historical periods (6) 18 Beefeater (6) 20 Swiss city (6) 22 Sled dog (7) 23 Sweater (6) 25 Snags (9) 26 Transmit (4)

27 Hit smartly (4) 28 Catch sight of (4)

Down

2 Forearm bone (4) 3 Mystery (6) 4 Safe to eat (6) 5 Quadrangle (6) 6 Dissolute (9) 7 Unlock (4) 10 London district (7) 12 Doubtful (4) 13 Snitch (9) 14 Happy (7) 17 Break; card game (4) 19 Limited in scope (6) 20 Shore bird (6) 21 Nullify (6)

23 Fair; merely (4) 24 Omit; fail to attend (4)