Double trouble

ACROSS

Belgian canal-based city • Vicious people (6) Celestial body • Envy another’s property? (5) Plant cultivated for its ornamental foliage • — Rica, Central American country (5) In high —, very angry • Underground prison cell (7) Sprint • Caribbean alcohol (3) Resourceful, imaginative • Stimulus, inducement (9) Brass instrument • Huge wasp (6) Explosive firework • Good-natured repartee (6) Decade of the Watergate scandal (9) • Cut off links (5, 4) 21 Wager • Stroke, caress (3) 22 Young hare • Prised with a bar (7) 23 Michael —, Zulu star • New England state (5) 24 Soft confection • Poke with the elbow (5) 25 Pungent root eaten raw in salads •

Debonair, libertine (6) 1 5 9 10 11 12 13 15 19

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 9A are HOSTA and COSTA — the answer to 8D will reveal which one is correct. Solutions in Monday’s Daily Record

Sticky substance from conifer trees • Take an exam for a second time (5) Igneous rock • Sorbet-like Italian dessert (7) Lessen, shrink • Entice into bed (6) Clergyman attached to a cathedral • Narrow paddled boat (5) Rendezvous, appointment • Thawing (7) Hint of colour? • Spree (5) Burn, singe • Whisky (6) Brought back to life • Despised, maligned (7) Guaranteed • Taken for granted (7) Cad, bounder • Notebook (6) Hesitate, waver • Sieve for impurities (6) 19 Claw • Drawing room (5) 20 Scandinavian • Loop of rope (5) 21 Perfect happiness • Consecrate (5) 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 14 16 17 18