Cryptic crossword

ACROSS

1. Claim carp: it wriggles, and can’t be done (11)

8. Being handed over by referee, rare perhaps with Lions leader (8)

9. Double curve for example returned in Old English (4)

10. Laziness of many in quiet! (5)

13. Being 19, adjust it accurately (4)

16. It is close to being considered stingy (4)

17. A big cat given back-up by mother (4)

18. High in stature, the story is not to be believed (4)

20. Get to one’s feet, if one can bear it (5)

24. Except that there are no others (4)

25. An enquiry may be written in quotes (8)

26. Liability to blame for tearing up a bill in the City (11)

DOWN

2. Miss shot and warm hands in it (4)

3. River and range of the country (5)

4. Get from Ascot to the seaside (5)

5. Small farm given credit frequently in verse (5) 6. Contempt of the holy professor a country follows (11) 7. Age-groups, one strange, one different (11)

11. Does as told by former schoolfellow? Yes, in a way (5) 12. Herbaceous flower has to be planted out (5)

14. Cook’s thickening our sort of ox-tail (4)

15. Bar on typewriter one will release, security being given (4) 19. Faithful ally is put out about nothing (5)

21. By its rule one may get a rough-and-ready 23 (5) 22. Rocket-firers start learning to be nosy (5)

23. Pinch what may take one up and down (4)