DEREK ALLEN CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Drink having strange strength (3,5) 5 Regal colour (6)

10 Amount of money to put up with a little being declared (4,3)

11 Unfriendly way it is done without thinking (7)

12 Half-dozen round the Spanish instrument (5)

13 Shopkeeper doubly hesitant with reward first (9)

14 Capital way to give a negative response (5,2,3,4)

17 In France my trade includes important underhand dealings (6,8)

21 Elastic perhaps for injured person (9) 23 Some cause guests to proceed without a break (5)

24 Chief name had been altered (7)

25 List the remarkable plant (7)

26 Home brewer (6)

27 Mum has more colourful device for cutting

paper (8)

DOWN

1 He leaves here before bad turn to experience again (6)

2 Gigantic old elephant (7)

3 Each slunk over when set free (9) 4 Mob he confirmed could win after lagging (4,4,6)

6 A Parisian female with sex appeal is not suitable (5) 7 Plain oyster perhaps (7)

8 The Spanish fish from golden land (8) 9 Upshot, contract redesigned hasn’t fulfilled expectations (3,2,2,7)

15 Nine trees replanted by a lady (9)

16 Did it break the record? (5,3)

18 Ivan ran round in state of perfect peace (7) 19 Saw being able to see (7)

20 Nothing in measuring instrument found in outer space (6)

22 Scoring rate (5)