CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 May have to sharpen up to gain an advantage (4,2,4,2) 8 Goodness; have the last word on time by the end (7) 9 Prepare, with little hesitation, to get a coach (7) 11 Show some enthusiasm in foreign travel, anyway (4) 12 Know the ropes, so can get into the ground’s lower tier (10) 14 Want the French to provoke other people (6) 15 He’d noble operating under an obligation (8) 17 Did many old miners end up with the wrong designation? (8) 19 After second touch in game, old lady suffered disgrace (6) 22 Is the CEO too enthusiastic about his directors? (5,5) 23 Find rare twisted band in the retail sector. Could be (4) 25 Might a 9 across take a note to a US singer, in the end? (7) 26 Small American company seen producing perfume (7) 27 Spies some private factors under cover (6,6)

DOWN

1 Explosive going off might leave a Greek girl half dead (7) 2 Good-for-nothing proud to be high-handed, but to no avail (4) 3 To some extent, I get to a US city working at the end with somebody (6) 4 Seemed to take little time, at the end, to become appreciated (8) 5 Commonly, informer backs the rank-and-file (5-5) 6 Armoured vehicle leading a way to a large vessel (7) 7 Left a clear impression after a collision (4,2,6) 10 Too many words for surpluses, leading to staff cutbacks (12) 13 Quite right, and across the board on the whole (10) 16 Dart off to come out with US politician (8) 18 Content to make accommodation in place for safe-keeping (7) 20 Starting to get about into small stadiums (7) 21 It can be difficult and unpleasant, but one’s making an effort (6) 24 Cast an eye over second class action needed initially (4)