Two-speed coffeebreak

Two sets of clues – but the answers are the same

CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS

1 Tidings of lightning? (9) 8 Cheerful pit ponies initially found in hay (5) 10 Land is a small nuisance (5) 12 Talented with drink (3) 13 Fashionable joint (3) 14 Metropolis is only half the truth (4) 15 Proper to put notes before coin (6) 16 Rush to get a beater (5) 18 The French henchman gets some water (6) 20 Incline to be thin (4) 22 Wrong about him (3) 23 That woman’s in the right (3) 24 Shovel for one in suit? (5) 25 Nowadays have time for a proverb (5) 26 Orders yet carried out by ship (9)

DOWN

2 Old Irishman living abroad (2-3) 3 School yet to deal with inflammation (4) 4 Whips around the eyes (6) 5 Form different heaps (5) 6 Make sure to lean on inventory (9) 7 Cases of trendy positions (9) 9 Material makes club fold first (7) 11 Kept in vinegar and drunk (7) 15 Holding racket inside (3) 17 Frank may be the son (6) 19 Page about having registered fruit (5) 21 Remove a seer forcibly (5) 23 Laugh to behold a ring (4)

Solutions in tomorrow’s Daily Mirror

QUICK CLUES ACROSS

1 Bulletin (9) 8 Jolly (5) 10 European country (5) 12 Beer (3) 13 Top of the leg (3) 14 Urban area (4) 15 Seemly (6) 16 Kitchen utensil (5) 18 Body of water (6) 20 Without fat (4) 22 Man’s name (3) 23 Pronoun (3) 24 Garden implement (5) 25 Maxim (5) 26 Military ship (9)

DOWN

2 Brit living abroad (2-3) 3 Eye inflammation (4) 4 Whips (6) 5 Figure (5) 6 Inventory of things to do (9) 7 Examples (9) 9 Constructional material (7) 11 Preserved (7) 15 Noise (3) 17 Candid (6) 19 Wine ingredient (5) 21 Rub out (5) 23 Ring of light (4)

Solutions in tomorrow’s Daily Mirror