DOUBLE CROSSWORD

CRYPTIC CLUES Across

1 Leases out studio stands (6)

5 Command group of religious

people (5)

9 Paper money – not escudos

therein (5)

10 Drop ale over animal (7)

11 Credit for a bloodsucker (4)

12 Demonstrated without hesitation,

it rained for a while (8) 16 One warren he made miles

away (7,4)

18 Men cycle round having

readiness to forgive (8)

21 Sounds like current’s

connected (4)

23 Tending to roam – otherwise

I’m no cad (7)

24 Evenly poach treat for eight

musicians (5)

25 Anxious future, perhaps (5) 26 Some cadet, a chap

to cut off (6)

Down

2 Take choir out for something to eat (9)

3 Direction of frigate,

astern (4)

4 Dish up crucial mixture of dangerous liquid (9,4)

6 Uncommonly pure

Eastern coin (5)

7 Weird English

lake (5)

8 Join up in

retinue (5)

13 Drink, then complain out loud (4)

Across

14 Strangely clear it is

1 Dark purplish blue (6) life-like (9)

5 Sprightly (5)

15 Bag he empties 9 Expunge (5)

contains butter (4) 10 Changing direction (7)

17 Changes point from 11 Work (land) (4)

which tide turns (5) 12 Visual imagination (5,3) 19 Free, last of 16 Failing to concentrate (11) concerts in Cornish 18 Not deserving (of) (8) town (5) 21 Title of the old emperor

20 Atoms smashed of Russia (4) in defensive 23 Prolonged applause (7) ditches (5) 24 Large crowd (5)

25 Fork spike (5)

22 Drink left (4) 26 Absolved (6)

QUICK CLUES

Down

2 Euphemism for

‘second-hand’ (6,3)

3 Sugar-coated (4)

4 Remote possibility (7,6)

6 Group of closely related

species (5)

7 Gangling (5)

8 Wide river-mouth (5)

13 Assigned task (4)

14 Listen at a door (9)

15 Begin to move (4)

17 Meet and welcome (5)

19 At no time (5)

20 Frequently (5)

22 Covering for the foot (4)