Double trouble

ACROSS

Feel sorry for Large urban centre (4)

Logged Wind instrument (8)

Empty threats

Make-up applied to the cheeks (7)

— Sarandon, Oscar-winning actress

African country whose capital is Khartoum (5) Linguine or penne, eg

Pale or unhealthy looking (5)

Individual fact or item Selling of goods (6) Female elephant Scatter (seed) (3)

Prickly shrub

Costly building with no practical purpose (5) Quick swim

Place where something is torn (3)

Historical instrument of punishment

Thickset (6)

Smouldering piece of coal

Fossil resin (5)

24 Detected sound Vital organ (5)

25 Joy — My Fire, no 1 for Take That (7)

27 Forest glade Removing dirt, polishing (8)

28 Decelerate Wintry weather (4) 1 3 9

10 11

12 14 16

18 19 21

DOWN

Each clue leads to two answers which differ from each other by one letter. You must decide which is the correct one. For example, the two possible answers to 1A are PITY and CITY — the answer to 1D will reveal which one is correct.

Solutions in Monday’s Daily Mirror

Disorderly crowd Male swan (3)

Confidence Bind, tie (up) (5)

Make a mistake

Major division of geological time (3)

Start of an illness?

Magnified atlas image (5)

File More authoritarian (7)

Armoured vehicle Foul-smelling (4)

Defeat thoroughly Songbird (6)

Good fortune Ice hockey disc (4)

Hold-up Rot (5)

Mark left by a wound

Electrical power

Loss through careless use (7)

17 Almost Occurring every 12 months (6)

20 Provide food (for) Highland Games log (5) 22 Commenced One who does not consume

animal produce (5)

23 Elegant and stylish

Facial feature (4)

25 Loud noise Achieve first place in a game (3) 26 Drag behind Summit (3) 1 2 4

5

6 7 8 11 12 13 15 Practise boxing (4)