CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

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ACROSS 1 Went off track, with no chance of success (3,2,3,7) 9 One comes out, taking one way to cut back on expenditure (9) 10 Did girl have an alternative beach on the waterfront? (5) 11 Stay at rest on a perch in a henhouse (5) 12 Established practice of myth and legend (9) 13 Is ready for anything, if drawing the French in (5) 15 Customers upset the Spanish, etc, on line (9) 17 Eternal triangle involved one more with 2 down (9) 19 Find a weird stretch of water after final dive (5) 21 The players had a trap set, initially, at the clappers (9) 23 Theme for sermon given to the priest in charge (5) 24 Bring up to 4 down, in advance (5) 25 Sail clean away with those involved in joint ventures (9)

26 Focused too much on one aspect, as I deliver to old spaces, in a way (15)

DOWN 1 Made too much of the above, about to perform (9) 2 So, met up with old couple (7) 3 Pretend to face coalition, but it’s windowdressing (5) 4 Did the compere take one up in an elevator? (5) 5 Take a second look, when about to cut back at a pit (9) 6 Cine scene directed to create incapacity (9) 7 Look up to fans’ favourites, embracing one, at the end (7) 8 May lack experience, but have great eyes in common (5) 14 Taking ages to enter production for adolescents (9) 15 Craftsman had a little time, at the end, to work with others (2-7) 16 Worked out why one’s a bundle of nerves (9) 18 Get some breathing space from sixth sense,

in practice (7) 20 Salesman with new cask wraps things up again (7) 21 Did a wagon leave with a heavy load? (5) 22 So, left on time with one old maestro (5) 23 Had to search for the right boring instrument (5)