FACTFINDER’S CROSSWORD

ACROSS

8 Rugby club in the English Premiership, founded in 1876 (8) 9 Seaport in Morocco (pop 420,000), devastated by a major earthquake in 1960 (6) 10 Undeveloped, but capable of development (6) 11 A portrayal of Christ crowned with thorns (art) (4,4) 12 A dark greenish-blue colour (4) 13 The water-cress genus of Cruciferae (10) 15 The Fate that cut the thread of life in Greek mythology (7) 17 A workshop, especially an artist’s studio (7) 20 Things that are much wanted (10) 22 A large quantity (coll) (4) 24 US state (1,982 sq miles; pop about 1 million), nicknamed the First State (8) 26 A large arboreal lizard in tropical America (6) 27 The entrance hall or main apartment of a Roman house (6) 28 A region of east central Greece (5,420 sq miles; pop 730,000) on the Aegean Sea (8)

DOWN

1 An old slow dance, or the music for it in 4-4 time (6) 2 Major battle (1815) marking the final defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte (8) 3 Highland shinty team that has won the Camanachd Cup a record 32 times (10) 4 To slander or calumniate (7) 5 Fruit-refuse in wine-making, or a brandy made from it (4) 6 Any distinctive stamp (fig) (6) 7 A little active acrobatic bird of the Parus genus (8) 14 Beyond one’s powers or authority (5,5) 16 The 14th century in Italian art, etc (8) 18 Pierre __ (1817-75), a leading French lexicographer (8) 19 The dyestuff fuchsine (7) 21 Citizens of Middle Eastern state (636,160 sq miles; pop 80million) (6) 23 Matthew __ (1822 - 88), poet and critic elected Professor of Poetry at Oxford in1857 (6) 25 An Egyptian dancing girl (4)