CROSSWORD CLUES

ACROSS 1 Area of sand on a shore (5) 4 Prevent the growth of (5) 10 Hospital worker (5) 11 Of water (7) 12 Firebug (8) 13 Nought (4) 15 Toil (6) 17 Kidnapper’s payment (6) 19 Lacking interest (4) 20 Snowstorm with high winds (8) 23 Evident (7) 24 Clumsy, incompetent (5) 25 Strangely (5) 26 Concur (5) DOWN 2 Noblemen (5) 3 Sharply outlined (5-3) 5 Therefore (4) 6 Chatters (7) 7 Unnecessary, unwarranted (8,3) 8 Round-up rope (5) 9 Oblige, do a favour for (11) 14 Brilliant, amazing (8) 16 Precious (7) 18 Explosion (5) 21 Sharp mountain ridge (5) 22 Hair from sheep (4)

Solutions in tomorrow’s Daily Mirror