CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1. It is au bord de la Mer Med (6,7)

9. Send one down to live in the country (9)

10. Took medicine, thus does start doctoring (5)

11. Those on drugs have a variety of ruses (5)

12. Once nice, the North showed its harmlessness (9)

13. Renounce tea: beg an alternative (8)

15. How one may listen without speaking (6)

18. Finish I have put to a salad plant (6)

20. Ferdinand explored everything, say, that was backward in man (8)

23. Jingles about crime silk gets involved with (9)

24. It is gone, a thing such as 21 (5)

25. One slow to learn name Mussolini had at heart (5)

26. A kind of pigeon called Gabriel perhaps (9)

27. Gives me strong score about barrow-boys (13)

DOWN

1. Left our Ma to express it in a doctrinal way (9)

2. Pete’s in training to be a sculptor (7)

3. Bits from China with fish? (5)

4. Liars set out as people who see things for what they are (8) 5. In Virginia nine turned to capital from Europe (6)

6. Sort of gland once red in form (9)

7. Not being there, bees can swarm freely (7)

8. Spoon out some of the salad left (5)

14. She ruled Jules when Goss was about (9)

16. Test clean feelers out (9)

17. A pepper goes one better than one with Latin (8) 19. Devilish way to put in endless comedy turn (7) 21. Sheets of 24 Across to decline in a narrow street (7) 22. Interval that separated the dodo? (6)

23. One dolled up in a bit of waterproof woollen cloth (5) 24. Clear the prairie (5)