CROSSWORD

Jeremy Mutch No. 1,434

ACROSS

1 Sample initially put into sterile

bag (5)

4 Question a scheme in case of

avoidable skid in rain (9) 9 Retaliatory actions upsetting liar

press (9)

10 Flower mostly at the rear (5) 11 Admission from guard losing

head (5)

12 Sadness and courage

confronting a revolutionary (9) 13 Leading British attack gets

rebuke (7)

15 Listens if wager is lost (7) 17 Worried, being liberated to

cover races (7)

19 Claimed free treatment as a

result of this (7)

21 Shame of international wrapped in shroud on moving (9)

23 Fear study on origin of disease

(5)

24 Bug contained by regular

vaccination (5)

25 Financial review of crooked

statesmen (5,4)

26 Tradesmen worked and tidied

(9)

27 Eccentric without reason, to

some extent (5)

DOWN

1 Standard meeting-place shortly

for a nouveau riche (7) 2 Honourable theatre board

welcoming unionist (9)

3 Editor provided pay at last to

boost morale (5) 4 Embarrassed amateur struck

(7) 5 Raise leg and steal show (7) 6 Drunk put a coat on (9)

7 Room for one not drinking in

charge (5)

8 Cash jobs for apprentices

starting late? (7)

14 Former occupation of trained

NASA tutor? (9)

16 Popular ingredient of concrete

covering top of road (9) 17 Dossiers containing

theologians’s swindles (7) 18 Bouncer’s party piece,

swallowing gold (7)

19 Fabled swimmer millions

admire, possibly (7)

20 Party girl let date off (7) 22 Fairy story about revolutionary

country (5)

23 Music venue in England is

condemned (5)