CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Request expert to store nitrogen with suspicion (7) 5 Smart way of

operating aerial (6) 9 Son posed indecently crossing shore finally, in these? (7) 10 Subtly shaded pest is lacking red at the end (7) 11 Secular woman does

without diamonds (3) 12 Exercise is technical – it’s to do with getting fit (11) 13 Evade nasty duel with

European (5) 14 President and Queen, say, play this to win? (5,4) 16 Lottie’s entangled with me, standing under this? (9) 17 Deep in the deep (5) 19 Litigant demands this otologist’s diagnosis of client? (4,7) 22 Officer’s saddle (3) 23 The Parisian retains old Greek climber’s support (7) 24 Disappointment that’s deflating (3-4) 26 Foreign enemy holds unknown biochemical (6) 27 Traveller left during exploit to drive back (7)

DOWN

1 A bishop loves complicated pardon (7) 2 Advice to footballer to avoid a yellow card and calm down? (4,4,5,2) 3 Raise fellow’s

indication of assent (3) 4 Stand for artist when

slicing fish (5) 5 Eats cumin, crushed, as accompaniment for lamb (4,5) 6 Butcher hated

killing (5) 7 Subsidiary group of swimmers get taught here (9,6) 8 Not having leader, got

less brought out (6) 12 It contains fish caught

on some film (5) 14 Chat about initially cutting four identical notes (4-1-4) 15 Accident – priest

called (5) 16 Dull scarf, bottom

missing (6) 18 Is it described as golden because the French invaded? (7) 20 Dangerous, like almost

all of the apes (5) 21 Indolent type, like

Bette with no 25 (5) 25 Cover big one containing sawdust typically (3)