CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS 1. One could impart a gloss to this language (6) 8. Some respite for the English, rude and brief in retreat (5) 9. Sort of treatment claimed to cure (7) 11. Somehow cheated daughter in an impartial manner (8) 12. Its slow pace pins it tail-first (5) 15. An Egyptian dancing-girl in the carnival market-place (4) 16. Whichever, it can fail to start with an unknown (3) 17. Some of the chorus will repeat what’s been said (4) 19. A leg one can shake if one’s nimble (5) 21. But its ringer doesn’t need to know the ropes (8) 24. Win or place it north, south, east and west (4,3) 25. A palisade may be visited by the thief (5) 26. Need to change it to mean something (6)

DOWN

2. A theatre to do up: one needs to change it (5) 3. At home, perhaps I claim it is unfriendly (8) 4. Possessed the internal energy to be at the top (4) 5. A meat portion takes some sorting out (5) 6. It could be considered offensive if this comes to shove (4) 7. It’s a knot of a sort that won’t go straight (4) 10. Yellow the only colour for this fish? (5,4) 12. If one is standing successfully one will gain one (4) 13. Stretch out from the glen, turning north (8) 14. How it carried the calibre of a shotgun (4) 18. Be up to the sea floor as the tide receded (5) 20. There’s none less than the tales woven about it (5) 21. How to remove draughtsman in a fit of pique (4) 22. How many Morris men are over the eight? (4) 23. The fat deposited in a particular disorder (4)