Two-speed coffeebreak

Two sets of clues – but the answers are the same

CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS

1 Reliable lad looks after ponies (6,3) 8 He’s got a steep face (5) 10 Small ice cream or cake (5) 12 Selfish about pixie (3) 13 Number of contents (3) 14 Conceal the skin (4) 15 Surface even confused queen (6) 16 Isolated a section (5) 18 Transport favourite rug (6) 20 Rages about energy lost to cleaning cloths (4) 22 Artist returned with Italian manner (3) 23 Bad actor in shambles (3) 24 Changes new diets (5) 25 Strange to send a line (5) 26 Intends trial to be matter of affordability (5,4)

DOWN

2 Attempted when terribly tired (5) 3 Polish expert (4) 4 Festival involving a steer (6) 5 Gas round region (5) 6 Key choice about Winter Olympics discipline (3,6) 7 Portray engineers now (9) 9 Lift ape out of shabby place (7) 11 Fizzy claret has new middle (7) 15 Barrel tax (3) 17 For every boy is individual (6) 19 Lift gets more money (5) 21 Wrong a young woman (5) 23 Animal of tenderness, say (4)

Solutions in tomorrow’s Daily Mirror

QUICK CLUES ACROSS

1 Horse attendant (6,3) 8 Sheer precipice (5) 10 Teatime treat (5) 12 Supernatural creature (3) 13 Integer (3) 14 Secrete (4) 15 Coating (6) 16 Separate (5) 18 Floor covering (6) 20 Tatters (4) 22 Atmosphere (3) 23 Type of pork (3) 24 Revises text (5) 25 Extraterrestrial (5) 26 Financial investigation (5,4)

DOWN

2 Sampled (5) 3 Beige colour (4) 4 End of Lent (6) 5 Form of oxygen (5) 6 Team sport (3,6) 7 Act for (9) 9 Seedy cinema (7) 11 Fundamental (7) 15 Keg (3) 17 Human being (6) 19 Elevate (5) 21 Faulty (5) 23 Male deer (4)

Solutions in tomorrow’s Daily Mirror