CRYPTIC CLUES

ACROSS

8 Shocking news – blows up nether regions! (9) 9 Supply weapons to a marine (3) 10 Heartless creditor, bashful, then secure (7) 11 Part of a bicycle to sell door-to-door, say (5) 12 Roman gown without a warmth rating (3) 14 See great changes in economy sea travel (8) 17 A price as ridiculous in area that’s high (8) 19 Party embraces upper-class couple (3) 21 Goes out with festive food (5)

23 Flower on cattle’s cheek (7)

26 Hip hop back as standard (3)

27 Tackle crack soldiers in heart of ghetto (9)

DOWN

1 Being overweight, do as told about rest (7) 2 US award for girl almost unknown (4) 3 Capital city in Czechoslovakia (4)

4 Harass the man about to raise deer (6) 5 Move wings in panic? (4)

6 Group got on and administered first aid (8) 7 Miniature will replace hundreds with thousand (5) 13 Try gel, it could be sparkly (8)

14 Mayday call from the Sargasso Sea (inits)(3) 15 Ironic-sounding East Sussex town (3)

16 Be in the running and finish without pupil (7) 18 Build up a set of workers, say (6)

20 A small department is proficient (5)

22 Watch pithead ooze (4)

24 Caught in the rain, softly cried (4)

25 Fibbed about German song (4)