CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1. Power a bird has to make the stairs (6)

4. Get the colonel to cut a slice of meat (6)

9. Get back and give the suite a new look (7)

10. How to dot it, as has already been said (5)

11. Public houses supplying chambers for lawyers (4)

12. It’s a different sort of wine if it sparkles (4)

13. Rapidly make one’s way with the hydrogen that is provided (3)

15. Design a plate with the carbon mixed in it (4)

16. A male politician taking cannabis (4)

19. Part of an old poem may prove suitable (3)

21. Stratagem for a king to employ (4)

22. Teddy will lower the price of stock (4)

24. Billiards shot, at home and away (2-3)

25. Language expressed with single aitch (7)

26. Completely swallow up the 25 that is flung out (6)

27. Stayed abreast of it, one maintained (4,2)

DOWN

1. ‘Bureau’ is a government department (7,6)

2. Put it in the thurible, and it will make one very cross (7)

3. Scene of great activity he created when about four (4)

5. A veteran hourglass, say (3-5)

6. Get on to the door fastener to gain comprehension (5)

7. Holding of a chair, or press of hips perhaps (13)

8. Tell the police about the lawn (5)

14. Is disdainful about the way NCOS furl it (8)

17. Foretell how it will be priced out by start of trading (7)

18. Flat serving-dish one heats in such a way (5)

20. Lash of whip seen as Goth struggled to hold the North (5)

23. A double-curve used up by the egocentric (4)

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION

Across: 1. Location 7. Trump 8. Conduct 9. Scarper 10. Ewer

12. Tactile 14. Cutlass 17. Mesh 18. Scalpel 21. Arbiter 22. Oread

23. Sisterly

Down: 1. Locket 2. Contempt 3. Tour 4. Outset 5. Hump 6. Sparse

7. Tranche 11. Clamped 13. Investor 14. Custom 15. Salami

16. Sherry 19. Axel 20. Obit