TWO-SPEED CROSSWORD

CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS

1 Two drinks at upper-class French country house (7) 8 Is crop failing? First to observe sign (7) 9 In woodland or rambling country (7) 10 Article taken off lewd relative (5) 11 Rush – a spring-flowering plant (9) 14 Stands in the drawing room? (6) 15 Extinct bird soundly getting grass cutter (5) 16 Seize a part of the shirt (6) 20 Bound to be together? (54)

23 Initially lacking part of a tree to make US cattle farm (5) 24 Unfavourable publicity given to poetry (7) 25 Found celebrity put out (5,2) 26 Examine crawler with soft inside (7)

DOWN

1 Rough route, reportedly (6) 2 Muddled when confused dad went first (6) 3 Strayed in wider redeployment (5) 4 Turn wiseman into employment (5) 5 Widely admired for turning up in polar surroundings (7) 6 Brave father in pain (6) 7 Absorbent cloths wet so left, perhaps (6) 12 Which person takes both sides of fingerprint? (5) 13 City guides, say (5) 15 The mace is chopped up with a broad-bladed knife (7) 16 Mind ship gets the gentle touch (6) 17 Bring down gold carriage (6) 18 International body loyal? It’s a lie (6) 19 Avenue where good man planting oak, perhaps (6) 21 Animal took a piece, not all (5) 22 Woman’s going round a part of the roof (5)

COFFEE TIME ACROSS

1 French castle (7) 8 Autumn birth sign (7) 9 Tiny country in the Pyrenees (7) 10 Male relative (5) 11 Common blue wild flower (9) 14 Painters’ stands (6) 15 Grass cutter (5) 16 Dog’s neckwear item (6) 20 Tightly bound (community) (5-4) 23 American cattle farm (5) 24 Detrimental (7) 25 Begin (5,2) 26 Carefully look at (7)

DOWN

1 Ribald (6) 2 Confused (6) 3 Made a mistake (5) 4 Application (5) 5 In demand (7) 6 Native American tribe (6) 7 Cloths for drying (6) 12 Spiral (5) 13 City near Bradford (5) 15 Large knife (7) 16 Touch gently (6) 17 Carriage with a folding top (6) 18 False (6) 19 Paved road (6) 21 Animal related to the giraffe (5) 22 Edge of a roof (5)