CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1. Gold bangle — asset converted where labourer cleaned up (6,7)

8. Support second article having expunged first (4)

9. Consider some text in manuscript for propriety (10)

10. Paying for others to dine in Hertfordshire town? (8)

11. Drive out in attempt to cross North Island (6) 13. Drunken priests initially botching psalm in services (10) 16. Coiffeur in Keighley shows where curlers are found (4)

17. Eleven minutes after the interval at Lord’s (4)

18. Our set raving about repair that's fantastic (10)

20. Superman repelled by feeding dog that lacks tail (6)

22. Stepped over mud outside new Ruhr location (8)

24. Celebs refuse to enter Georgia — and it's over (10)

26. Approval withheld in retreat? (4)

27. Arab perhaps down for an old movie (5,8)

DOWN

1. Characters from Rye thus observed in Argyle? (11) 2. Instrument one exported from African country (5)

3. Alsatians let loose to find aggressor (9) 4. European ensnared in small deception (7) 5. Improvised excellent book about Donegal's borders (2-3)

6. Liberal revelling in danger in Soviet city (9)

7. MI6 finds relative shortly (3)

12. Bloody genius on USA reforms (11)

14. French count runs round for Holy Spirit? (9)

15. Singular fruit with perfect flavour (9) 19. Sound final whistle, perhaps, leading to drama (7)

21. Bird black in colour? Not completely! (5) 23. Chop's rotten at one end, consumed by rodents (5)

25. Note adviser initially grasped in left hand (3)