Two-speed coffeebreak

Two sets of clues – but the answers are the same

CRYPTIC CLUES

ACROSS

1 Sudden examination for acne (4,5) 8 What indifferent owls couldn’t give? (5) 10 What’s taken out, melts (5) 12 Snitched about idiot (3) 13 Drama about animal (3) 14 Look both ways (4) 15 Moderate one’s mood (6) 16 Slides for small children (5) 18 Hear silent arrangement (6) 20 Afterwards from both ends (4) 22 Allow to hire (3) 23 Regard for diocese (3) 24 Begin a small cake (5) 25 Bird about to move near (5) 26 Killjoy has feast tied up (9)

DOWN

2 Liable to be lying (5) 3 Time to set off for trial (4) 4 Loathing red hat terribly (6) 5 Pain caught on slope (5) 6 See splash, terribly irregular (9) 7 New set wandered and separated (9) 9 Pundit to pour rest away (7) 11 The ram’s used as a pet (7) 15 Hitting with metal (3) 17 Confine a kitchen appliance (6) 19 Left inside, except addict (5) 21 Makes for the opposite of tails (5) 23 Cost upsetting Briton (4)

QUICK CLUES

ACROSS

1 Random examination (4,5) 8 Owl’s cries (5) 10 Defrosts (5) 12 Louse’s egg (3) 13 Male sheep (3) 14 Furtive look (4) 15 Demeanour (6) 16 Slips (5) 18 Heed (6) 20 At that time (4) 22 Permit (3) 23 Understand (3) 24 Commence (5) 25 Lifting device (5) 26 Pessimist (9)

DOWN

2 Prostrate (5) 3 Examination (4) 4 Odium (6) 5 Muscle pain (5) 6 Amorphous (9) 7 Alienated (9) 9 Racing expert (7) 11 Rodent (7) 15 Can (3) 17 Water boiler (6) 19 Toil hard (5) 21 Chiefs (5) 23 Person from Glasgow? (4)