The Brain Teaser

ACROSS

1. Gets utterly wrong? (13)

8. For a doctor, mending rugs takes a long time (7)

9. Shoot a number cutting short military exercises (7)

11. Supposes there will be a total lack of one sort of conifer (6)

13. Will make light work of back numbers, the hag held (6,2)

15. Uses a paper-knife on letters after work (5) 16. The strain of getting notes in order (7) 18. What a member in a violent fury may be on? (7)

19. Range expected initially to be covered by sand-storm (5)

21. What children are currently taught, figuratively speaking (3,5)

23. Point to JR, for instance, doing some darning (6)

25. Unusual English hair style (7)

26. Small mark of this colour? (7)

28. They may work for a doctor or a site inspector, perhaps (13)

DOWN

2. Arthur's mother comes from Nigeria (7) 3. Writer and no end of a versifier (3)

4. Admits to being won round by the beginning of September (4)

5. Cricket delivery appears to us somehow to be by a footballer (10)

6. Work not needed outside the North-East (5) 7. Such ware shown in the Listener next? (7) 8. Vote for workers' entertainment (4,2,5)

10. Thief losing out by looking along it? (4,2,5) 12. Course of records to order (5)

14. A means of securing affection (10)

17. The idea of having one game rearranged (5) 18. Wire had got tangled with the rope (7) 20. Climbing flier allowed a small amount (7) 22. The German tribesman could be right (5) 24. Too slow, to some extent, for the capital (4) 27. Aim to convert a friend abroad (3)