TWO-SPEED CROSSWORD

CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS

1 Melissa struggling, lacking

direction (7) 8 Normal location doesn’t

finish off newcomer (7) 9 Lie with ribs broken,

provoking laughter (7) 10 Slouch about low church

(5) 11 Takes up a position around a

road, and flags (9) 14 Dagger splits blouse (6) 15 Gangling youth leader

telephoned before (5) 16 Cockney sanctuary or leafy

glade (6) 20 Most dependable plan

stateside (9) 23 Ring a relative in fertile

spot (5) 24 Tried to attract unusual

cod – true! (7) 25 Means of launching new

film (7) 26 Items of post for the

leaseholders? (7)

DOWN

1 Almost on the loose in

wood again (6) 2 His map was ripped in

unfortunate accident (6) 3 Firmly plant doctor in

ebbing river (5) 4 Box concealing eastern

weapon (5) 5 Forbidding sulphur alongside port (7) 6 Flinch from wind again (6) 7 Charges for plants (6) 12 Separate a bit (5) 13 Fixed opinion of hound by

mother (5) 15 Start to recognise American and Welsh girl’s nationality (7) 16 A table on a ship (6) 17 Rock formed from a blast

(6) 18 Water boiler cooked leek

about two times (6) 19 In dispute with barber

when outside (2,4) 21 Do well for forty in Rome,

it’s said (5) 22 Dishearten daughter and

another relative (5)

COFFEE TIME ACROSS

1 Drifting (7) 8 Social climber (7) 9 Laughable (7) 10 Skulk (5) 11 Accepted levels (9) 14 Printer’s dagger sign (6) 15 Gangling (5) 16 Bower (6) 20 Firmest (9) 23 Desert haven (5) 24 Sought (7) 25 Liberate (7) 26 Epistles (7)

DOWN

1 Again (6) 2 Accident (6) 3 Fix firmly (5) 4 Assegai (5) 5 Fishing port on the

Humber (7) 6 Cower (6) 7 Hastens (6) 12 Divided (5) 13 Fixed doctrine (5) 15 From St Petersburg? (7) 16 Embarked (6) 17 Dark igneous rock (6) 18 Water boiler (6) 19 In conflict (2,4) 21 Be good (at) (5) 22 Intimidate (5)