CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS 1 Solely intent on avoiding marriage? (6-6) 8 Can be seen earning potential (2,5) 9 Wagered about plant (7) 11 Contest of the French before the Spanish (4) 12 A misfit can develop excessive enthusiasm (10) 14 Last note at end of show (6) 15 Yours truly to dispose of Scotsman at midday (8) 17 Hurried taking knave in who had forced pilot to fly to another airport (8) 19 Jet possibly there first in outer space (6) 22 Barely having source of heat (5,5) 23 Girl back in Hammersmith (4) 25 Spike’s going round circuit for cover for listening devices (7) 26 Seize with ease, say, hasty glance (4-3) 27 Rows amongst parents’ paternalism (12)

DOWN 1 Cutter on excise duty? (7) 2 No-one from France came up, not being upper-class (3-1) 3 Drift to be made up (6) 4 Spoil potentially great girl (8) 5 One legal scholar in casual dress who is not worth considering! (10) 6 Retired title-holders had some of the merit included (7) 7 New outlook after weather front has passed (4,2,6) 10 Showed that little devil started badly (12) 13 Plague that’s dark towards the end (5,5) 16 One converting into cash Brazilian money sire exchanged (8) 18 Jack, say, and little Arthur going over a capital city (7) 20 Retribution from northeast maine relative shortly (7) 21 Before lunch Alfred and I reached Italian port (6) 24 Fellow’ s insurance not complete (4)