DAILY MAIL CROSSWORD

NO 15,808

ACROSS

1 Just over 50 churches accept new authority (7) 5 Organise overdraft provided in county’s banks (6) 9 Armed group intend returning to arrest one drunk (7) 10 He doesn’t want company left in secure complex (7) 11 Slip down mountain in Sikkim now and then (3) 12 Privates ached with it badly, nursing surgery – this sort? (11) 13 Feature of Hampton Court conceals current crop (5) 14 A French invader seizes chief, last one in race (9) 16 Long drink containing very soft fruit (9) 17 Drab boat husband scrapped (5) 19 English colleague accepts proposal, shedding tears (11) 22 Hostile section of Bastille (3) 23 Dust-blower is back with not much in hopper (7) 24 Token minimum put into dodgy loan (7) 26 Big bird circles British holy city (6) 27 With Paul, Reg shattered sound barrier (7)

DOWN

1 Payment union representatives stuffed in stack (4,3) 2 Colin sure is cool flying such a perilous path (9,6) 3 Eccentric group of teachers (3) 4 Stage staff turned up on time (5) 5 Worry about handle for ornamental panel (9) 6 Old man acquires a church as Putin’s second home? (5) 7 Like Einstein’s work involving airfield, sun and moon? (4-11) 8 Old airline trick? It helps pilots avoid 2 (6) 12 Participant in home game, last in series (5) 14 Crazy Rhone plan that’s blown at length (9) 15 Lords delay every so often for some strange reason (5) 16 Like Picasso’s first rickety easel (6) 18 Sounds like you’ll record what’s in Noel’s hearth (4,3) 20 Run into ruin, shivering, catching cold (5) 21 Large one protected knight? (5) 25 Damage stuff when climbing (3) PRIZES of £20 will be awarded to the senders of the first three correct solutions checked. Solutions to: Daily Mail Prize Crossword No. 15,808, PO BOX 3451, Norwich, NR7 7NR. Entries may be submitted by second-class post. Envelopes must be postmarked no later than tomorrow. Please make sure you enclose your name and address.

SOLUTION TO PRIZE CROSSWORD No 15,805: ACROSS: 6 Ancient history. 9 Ski run. 10 Recently. 11 Etcetera. 13 Shorts. 15 Elated. 17 Asimov. 19 Select. 20 Prophecy. 22 Preserve. 24 Tin can. 26 Shetland ponies. DOWN: 1 Market research. 2 Scar. 3 Seance. 4 Circuses. 5 Stun. 7 Tartar. 8 Relative clause. 12 Erase. 14 Oomph. 16 External. 18 Spread. 21 Option. 23 Site. 25 Nail. DAILY MAIL New Cryptic Crosswords — pit your wits against 100 of the trickiest cryptic puzzles ever to appear in your favourite paper. This book provides the ideal way to warm up your grey matter for a day’s work, or wind down and relax during those rare spare moments. Available from the Daily Mail Book Shop, call 0844 571 0640 or visit www.mailbookshop.co.uk . P&P free on orders over £15.