DOUBLE CROSSWORD

CRYPTIC ACROSS

3 Plenty in favour of a merger (9)

8 Former morning paper (4)

9 Sluggard making little progress with a tutor (9)

10 Class a number as precise (6)

11 They carry goods south in stormy seas (5)

14 Strip a fire-arm? (5)

15 Absorbed with a new part (4)

16 Wounds in a most absentminded way (5)

18 Pitcher we return with little hesitation (4)

20 Acted strangely for a Service trainee (5)

21 Come up to stretch between bends (5)

24 Habit-forming, craftsman (6)

25 Broke down, oddly enough! (7,2)

26 Capital needed so brought back fifty and nothing more (4)

27 Neighbourly invitation – after an operation? (4,5)

DOWN

1 He may do you a good turn! (9)

2 Not a bad bid for the roundabouts? (4,5)

4 One may call it a breakfast favourite (4)

5 Colours and becomes servile (5)

6 Rather earlier (6)

7 Formerly found in a prison cell (4)

9 These are sure to be brisk for beer on board (5)

11 A strike may make one ashamed (5)

12 Old-timer (9)

13 Specify space available for a first-class passenger (5-4)

17 Throw away a fight? (5)

19 Possibly secure and free from danger (6)

22 Belief in sacred office (5)

23 A monster came up for that reason (4)

24 A fit convert, perhaps (4)