CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS 1. Metropolitan CID three feet North of the Border? (8,4) 8. Sea soldier swallows at prospect of getting pickled (8) 9. Stop the thing bearing a flower (4) 11. State of being starved out (5) 12. Warning: the auction may be fiddled! (7) 13. Type of voice that can change a lot (4) 15. Drive very fast though there’s restriction round the middle (4) 19. Schoolmaster writing form of ode containing little style (7) 20. Not a hit-and-run supernumerary (5) 22. Stagger, being all wound up? (4) 23. Caught (by the sound of it) sort of hopper across ditch (8) 24. Old ministry supplied fodder to a bar (5,2,5) DOWN 2. How to deal with joint and produce sculpture (5) 3. Compassionate way to offer for acceptance (6) 4. Make scant changes include one of the things people get up to (6) 5. Foot either side at last rid executive of having to hold it (7) 6. He only goes to show! (12) 7. Gash armbands so taken from the window (5,3,4) 10. Something from Chelsea one gets in the neck (3) 14. Show of ill-humour with a finish used by painters (7) 16. Whatever the amount, a lot have lost their head (3) 17. On this account be only fifty per cent (6) 18. Book to move slightly sideways in Labour extremes (6) 21. Weary of being dressed the old-fashioned way (5) YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION: Across 1. Cherub 8. Raise 9. Cremona 11. Dutchman 12. Knell 15. Noon 16. Imp 17. Inch 19. Screw 21. Pentagon 24. Natural 25. Stuck 26. Emends Down 2. Heron 3. Rumbling 4. Bind 5. Trice 6. Firm 7. Dean 10. Automaton 12. King 13. Tincture 14. Dhow 18. Basks 20. Eland 21. Post 22. Nous 23. Name