CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Response to potential mugger offers no choice (4,2,2,5,2) 9 Have some time to fix up 7 down (9) 10 Understood how to get one involved in diplomacy (5) 11 Everyone had to come back to get their share (5) 12 Comfortable seat suitable for a senior academic (4,5) 13 Bondsman was born in one of the Great Lakes (5) 15 Did Arab steal away with material for carving? (9) 17 Announced the gift of a wind instrument to a boy ... (9) 19 ... and announced reception of first place in a taste test (5) 21 European centre in charge of creating reserve (9) 23 Might a leading stockbroker advise rise in inflation? (5) 24 Did she mean to find her fate? (5) 25 Lines up at short notice for the eulogies (9) 26 Onlookers left standing, initially, at well attended games (9,6)

DOWN

1 Try to get the last word, at the end of a will (9) 2 Did Kelvin link up with me in a foreign stronghold? (7) 3 One’s allowed to have a small piece of land, in the main (5) 4 Getting on line in Venice eatery might bear fruit (5) 5 Entitled one to have second girl as a personal 15 down (5-4) 6 Outcast organised a little resistance to dictators (9) 7 Transport some leaderless soldiers, having lied ... (7) 8 ... while a teacher had a mild rebuke for other soldiers (5) 14 Look forward to having worker in suspense ... (9) 15 ... and pay attention to worker, in conclusion (9) 16 Gains satisfaction when about to get formal wear (9) 18 Separate from disorganised new unit (7) 20 Record over first-rate employer of reader (7) 21 Rants and raves to head off some vagrants (5) 22 Large growth found in a field, erased eventually (5) 23 Descending to abrupt move over Europe (5)