CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Don’t strike while the iron is hot, perhaps, and be unsympathetically reviewed (3,1,3,5) 8 Ham up morning monologue (5) 9 Acts of brutality secure ‘til rumbled (9) 11 Flower garlands to study in Dutch city (6) 12 Refuse to acknowledge connection at formal evening event (5,3) 14 Tension at the coalface found by sewer (10) 15 Pathetic person’s dead – rest in peace (4) 18 Top cards a cardsharp edged sideways in openings (4) 19 Tease lad in move to get rid of saltiness (10) 21 Safety features of pipe system that stars in position locator (3,5) 23 It’s a pain in the side to do work of 14 (6) 25 Cause a lot of trouble to grow sugar crop, we hear (5,4) 26 A number returned to Germany for protest marches (5) 27 Achievement of the lady with the lamp is almost weightless (12)

DOWN

1 Start growing out of garment, ie (9) 2 Edinburgh theatre’s opposed to following unoccupied tour (8) 3 Show resistance to American money (4) 4 Astronomical phenomenon increases pitch twice (6,4) 5 What’s left after slicer’s been operated? (6) 6 Family in street are very hard up (5) 7 That incantations ranged about is a sign of impending peril (6,6) 10 Sleep teaches how to run Grand National, say (12) 13 E co warriors present naive article, it’ s alleged (10) 16 Try again to win over by shedding tear first (9) 17 One involved in foul play is mucky pup (5,3) 20 Religious instruction is part of nuisance for vicar (6) 22 Pig joins wine-tasting entry (5) 24 A zero score for blue dye (4)