CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Prophet inspires French noble, one who’s alluring (7) 5 Shock former US president briefly hosting American (6) 9 Stopped and dropped (4,3) 10 Bedouin maybe has backed Arab article (7) 11 Helium and nitrogen layer (3) 12 Sixteen played in small bay, occupying the same space (11) 13 Old-fashioned leader of underground ousted by Republican (5) 14 Like ducks etc paid for

online? (3-6) 16 Scylla’s partner cooked crab dish, the last of many in centre (9) 17 Choose the Parisian to probe English court (5) 19 Rare sort of Vogue or

art magazine (11) 22 Pub, one with two

names (3) 23 Female leaves

attractive print (7) 24 Tramp nicks one file (7) 26 Notice 2 and get very

angry (6) 27 Article lambasted

performance (7)

DOWN

1 Rush up nervously to collect large element (7) 2 The real thing? (8,7) 3 I’m surprised chef hasn’t finished (3) 4 Hurriedly search Winchester perhaps (5) 5 Lab containers and casks turned up in river (4,5) 6 Pale, like 11 (5) 7 Red Stalinist miner awkwardly hides cross (7-8) 8 I want to impress director of course (6) 12 Sidekick keen on being

included (5) 14 Sort of lens we aligned in different places (4-5) 15 Overweight medals

pinned on earl (5) 16 Calling nurse to collect

last of medicine (6) 18 Shoot tried twisting over northern end of wall (7) 20 Ground grain initially

seen in gravel (5) 21 Hundreds ordered to avoid NHS milk supplier (5) 25 Pick up briefcase and

small bag (3)

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