BRAND NEW CRYPTIC CROSSWORD STARTS TODAY!

ACROSS

1 The view from Dickens’ house between book covers made public toilet (5,7)

9 Person standing who wants to sit (9) 10 Leading light exposes hideouts (5)

11 She is sensibly concealing return of legendary sight (6)

12 Family residence with support from care service (4,4)

13 Three-legged support a short time before Bolt (6)

14 Heart of stone and largely dour, I love this song! (1,4,3)

17 Leader on a mission from God to chart east, perhaps (8)

19 Ran out of born-again dodgy bath-house (6) 21 City school getting hold of lecturer about marks (8)

23 Butcher’s uniform needed in shift work (6) 25 Regularly chaining a small isle (5) 26 St Trinian’s eccentric head removed en route (2,7)

27 Angle to find an actor to play pirate captain? (4,4,4)

MACBETH

DOWN

2 Movement on the ground could mean election victory (9)

3 Essentially basic number, stupid! (7) 4 Embargo placed on old port in the west (4) 5 Where 9Ac wants to be and 12 Ac might be? (3,5)

6 Painting proficiently could be source of fortune (3,4)

7 See 20

8 John Curtice, perhaps, destroyed Government hopes, poll still with three Liberal losses (12) 9 Tories’ unity, etc could be marginal (12)

15 If in House, chairman embracing political declaration of intent (9)

16 Tory PM no longer having it - comes to a sticky end? (8)

18 Look for electoral support - is able to fool about five (7)

20/7 When Thatcher’s predecessor – Bowie, perhaps – had blade in sleeve (1,6,5)

22 “Leaders of Men” – a numpty identifying Conservatives bouncing off the walls (5)

24 European Union transfixed by race for Caesarean delivery (2,2)

See tomorrow’s paper for today’s solutions