CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Be successful with the brush (4,1,5,5) 9 Group had only the goalposts? (5) 10 Amount more expensive to reach a certain standard (7,2)

11 Marginally restructured frighteningly (10) 12 Under no obligation to deliver (4) 14 Sound of laughter despite being in unusually morbid shape (8) 16 Essayist with attorney is a character (6) 18 Quality of character of eg iron, say (6) 19 Fear one unshod might have (4,4) 21 Brewer’s pitcher? (4) 22 Intrinsically one banner is included in banter (10) 25 Poet Iris with fever suffering (9) 26 Moulding some provol one cheese (5) 27 Pot ty shattering, unfortunately it’ s an unpleasant situation (3,1,6,5)

DOWN

1 Celestial food that’s unexpected (5,4,6) 2 Yankee endlessly confused in Africa (5) 3 Vehicle working on its own (10)

4 The French fellow can find manatee (8)

5 A baler travelling over land for ploughing (6)

6 Horses with no room in yard? On the contrary (4)

7 Detestable crustacean in river, the Parisian concluded (9) 8 Finally beaten by last mail collection (6,2,3,4)

13 Stick in something sweet and sticky (10) 15 Very busy one after another (2,3,4) 17 Inclination to have drink I left in bar on board (8)

20 Abuse about live performance (6) 23 Amid arrangement of mango (5)

24 In barrow I spotted small tuft (4)