CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Put hands together round middle of stomach and squeeze hard (5)

4 Frank not needed here relieved of job (4-4) 8 Ground the chopper, conflict being over (4,3,7)

10 Love speed, joining a modern industry (9) 11 See smoke circling: reason? (5)

12 English girl said to be a sweet little thing (6) 14 You’re blocking my view? How should I react? (3,2,3)

17 After terrible weather, no heart to unite in prayer (4,4)

18 Good and ancient, this age? (6)

20 Indicates approval of some clock noises (5) 22 Possibly heat burns for her? (9)

24 Rasher to enter this high-level discussion? (5,9)

25 Orchestra, heading off to play in cathedral (8) 26 House train unruly dog, offering reward upfront (5)

DOWN

1 Flyer taking taxi: airline say upset as snow appears(7,5) 2 Republic once sounded drier (5)

3 Wrong assumption, discounting knight — here’s a K (9)

4 Home not yet wonderful? (6)

5 A lake confined by raised banks that should be higher than this (3,5)

6 Such an attractive point about breaking a horse (5)

7 With queen’s entrance, intended briefly to rise with new vigour (9) 9 Worker in Hollywood to vet, heard to be not so leftwing? (12)

13 Colin strangely reluctant to put this on? (9)

15 Company about to put old sailor in revolutionary clothing (3,6)

16 One links posts, as Tennyson finally expected to (8)

19 Gets down name to board ships (6) 21 Unpleasant expression when born cradled by sister (5)

23 Sort of frost on front of department store (5)