WEEKEND CROSSWORD

Dear Reader,

As a result of the coronavirus pandemic we are suspending competition entries for all our prize crosswords.

Puzzles will continue to appear as normal but no entries will be accepted or prizes given.

We hope to return to normal as soon as possible.

The solution to this week’s cryptic crossword will appear next Saturday as usual.

Stay safe!

Joy Yates, Editorial Director

Across

1 North American crisis

precipitating bloomers ( 8)

5 London banks on it ( 6)

10 Levy on parrots? ( 4- 3)

11 Cry of enquiry reaching Head

Office, weary expression ( 5- 2) 12 Fine line bearing intuitive

discernment ( 5)

13 Item to be tabled by setter I’ve

edited ( 9)

14 Novel dips ( 7,3,4)

17 Cavalryman’s work is a powerful

aid ( 7,7)

21 A very loud individual placed knife against it, the written declaration on oath ( 9)

23 Scrub most of new course ( 5) 24 One Scotsman ran into Middle

Easterner ( 7)

25 Talked of lots having heads

covered ( 7)

26 Do lend material for head ( 6) 27 Sad but pretty girl, we hear, one

of many in the wood ( 8)

Down

1 Pinch on the other side and run

away ( 3,3)

2 About to set free ( 7)

3 Where Albania introduced prohibition among other things ( 5,4)

4 Numbers that are out of order

( 5,3,6)

6 Some Thai titleholder found in

West Indies ( 5)

7 Mum repeatedly put cover in

middle for holy leader ( 7)

8 Untidy new novel included in

furtive surroundings ( 8)

9 Match a peculiar sort of chemical

( 14)

15 Ruin Chester, say ( 9)

16 Heartless guy has fixed portion,

it’s a twist! ( 8)

18 Without care from worker ( 7)

19 Clothier, not I, developed loud

cheerful chuckle ( 7)

20 Wedding path, so to speak ( 6) 22 Train bore ( 5)