DAILY MAIL CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Colt, say, raised absurdly close to dam (7) 5 Old Scottish engineer returns to a federal capital (6) 9 People who rent post? (7) 10 Warn American about British part of Canada (7) 11 The remains of Thomas Hardy (3) 12 Times charge PRO I trained for photocopying (11) 13 Dial eccentric bishop to speak impromptu (2-3) 14 Escort extremely alert occupant hiding diamonds (9) 16 Sherlock Holmes typically made this subtraction (9) 17 Bury Italian team (5) 19 Wrongly interpret teacher rightly tackling fool (11) 22 Stop nuts reversing (3) 23 I follow new laws about greeting in African tongue (7) 24 Flower spoiling beer garden Ned neglected (7) 26 Wrong goal turns game (6) 27 Bed is put back in warehouse (7)

DOWN

1 Some insult a nabob’s wife in Turkey maybe (7) 2 Disorder in big plant causes the middle to rot (5,3,7) 3 Cut short climbing test (3) 4 Scrooge in the main sneers regularly (5) 5 Native of Borneo called out, clasping a note (5-4) 6 Some turned up holding one part of leg (5) 7 Dress weatherman differently to show sympathy (4-11) 8 Tycoon unlikely to get through flap? (3,3) 12 Twice Bexhill shelters revolutionary old sailing ship (5) 14 I’d got into terrible mishaps in centre of vessel (9) 15 Northern French river sound (5) 16 End or start of demisemiquaver (6) 18 Sound off about a representative out of control (7) 20 It brings tears to the eyes, putting legs over one (5) 21 Inflexible female leaves bitter (5) 25 Charge for type of music (3)

PRIZES of £20 will be awarded to the senders of the first three correct solutions checked. Solutions to: Daily Mail Prize Crossword No. 15,574, PO BOX 3451, Norwich, NR7 7NR. Entries may be submitted by second-class post. Envelopes must be postmarked no l NO 15,574