£100 PRIZE CROSSWORD

1 So sad to return to fizzy drinks in USA (5) 4 Twelve months with wee Dorothy? It’s a very, very long time ago (4,3) 8 We hear Liverpool FC’s store in the police station (3,4) 9 Very stupid to have the sound of a clock over an hour at first (5) 10 Designer coats for Berkshire’s royal racecourse (5) 11 Not raining? Leave quickly for the rehearsal (3,3) 14 Met gutless Holmes with spirits that no one should drink (5) 16 In the area of a boxing match, say (5) 18 Wee Alastair goes into a tent looking for attractive women (6) 21 Reduced? It’s cut carefully – what a newspaper boss does (5) 24 It’s not over in Sunderland (5) 25 This team fly together in a wretched war, Eric (7) 26 A background in the theatre? It’s a bit obscene, Ryan (7) 27 Before midday with our illicit affair in France (5) 1 Rifle bag (4) 2 The first instalment or down payment is lifted in the depot (7) 3 Places to learn something about groups of whales? (7) 4 Talks stupidly or noisily when his pay is cut back (4) 5 John Cusack, for example, starring in The Factory (5) 6 More thirsty? The rider is off for a not-sosweet wine maybe (5) 7 Pay close attention to the objectionable tone, Kate (4,4) 12 A teenage hooligan upset the lad (3) 13 Non-professionals are a must, funnily enough (8) 15 A colour choice from BBC News at Ten’s Edwards, we hear (3) 16 Dr Aaron travelled to a small republic in the Pyrenees (7) 17 It’s a Great Lake in North America – and Iran too, amazingly (7) 19 A holiday chalet – where the masons meet (5) 20 Courage or impudence? It’s an absolute cheek – and never changes (5) 22 Cautious of a major conflict with the last of the infantry (4) 23 A large decorative jug we sent north to the Queen (4)