CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 They sell out Robert with five words of wisdom (8)

5 One got personal best in main enclosure (3,3)

9 Combination of French and German soldier? (8)

10,21dn Pad floggers? (6,6)

11 Meets old king with opposites (8) 12 Hitch-connected! (6)

14 Cuttings containers (10)

18 Make believe it’s a ball (10)

22 Fitting piece, we hear? (6)

23 Make a sacrifice of finger? (8)

24 Nab me and Kaye, then make a wall (6) 25 Yellow-belly put retweet on loop? (8) 26 Subject matter covering the Mesopotamian field (6)

27 It’s exorbitant! (8)

DOWN

1 Wee one may quietly leg it (6)

2 Fancy decorations outside disco? (6) 3 Edward and David dodged the outcome (6) 4 They frequently meet at the funfair? (6,4) 6 Cries over nib cut? (8)

7 Opening new road around port? (8) 8 Sleepers upset beyond compare (8) 13 Found you out over classy sweet (10) 15 I’m working with tin men, brewing (8) 16 Join rally? (8)

17 You, I and Dee can join hearing (8) 19 Colette receives some news, perhaps? (6) 20 Japanese coverage (6)

21 See 10ac

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION:

Across: 1 Solway Firth, 9 Odeon, 10 Glove puppet, 11 Poor, 14 Dated, 16 Acetone, 17 Rodin, 18 Rookie, 19 Switch, 22 Sudan, 23 Schools, 24 Sweep, 25 Wood, 26 Tribalistic, 29 Elbow, 30 Over the moon.

Down: 1 Sag, 2 Loo, 3 Aberdonians, 4 Founder, 5 Reputed, 6 Hot, 7 Recondition, 8 Enfranchise, 12 Harris Tweed, 13 Beyond doubt, 15 Draw the line, 20 Precise, 21 Asphalt, 26 Two, 27 Tao, 28 Can. See tomorrow’s paper for today’s solutions