CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

8. Expansion with which it may be laid into (8)

9. Oratorio given a Heil around the beginning of January (6)

10. Dwelling with tension, team collapses (11)

11. Knowing one sort of insect (3)

13. Manner in which the French follow 23 (5)

15. Injury in punishment can even, for example, be arranged (9)

17. Is it a business the doctor will keep to himself? (7,8)

19. Mother country condemned to eternal punishment (9)

21. No worker will give a piper 2 notes (5)

23. A place of debauchery in 13 (3)

24. Hotel employee who made him crab mixture (11)

27. Remove the water from a stretch of melody (6)

28. Those named in some nine variations (8)

DOWN

1. Calamity is present in various trades (8)

2. Low part of fish is otherwise pronounced (4)

3. One in section may be captain (5)

4. Too little use made of mole: ten men dry up (15)

5. With just a trace of it left, gives tail a twist (9)

6. The leg that holds the golf flag (3)

7. A girl might start crying if its flavour is too strong (6)

12. Hurriedly repeat the salesman’s pitch (6)

14. A benefice that is actually in existence (6)

16. Doing needlework on the street is irritating (9)

18. Is legally placed afield, and in credit: think about it (8)

20. Shrewd use a TT makes of it (6)

22. Sordid it may be, with the joins showing (5)

25. The chief sound a bushy head of hair makes (4)

26. Statute given by American city to the West (3)

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION: Across 1. Instruction 8. Emporium 9. Same

10. Idols 13. Emit 16. Oral 17. Soon 18. Moor 20. Derby 24. Need

25. Thank you 26. Spoilsports

Down 2. Nape 3. Tired 4. Usual 5. Issue 6. Development 7. Sententious

11. Oread 12. Sever 14. Moot 15. Sago 19. Radio 21. Ethos 22. Banjo

23. Ryot