CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

Across

1. The ruddy fish was a bit of a distraction! (3,7)

9. No taro in South Africa but maybe this flower (7)

10. What has the colleague’s statement got to do with an estimate (5)

11. He gets Ann back for hair dye (5)

12. Found a donkey and a sheep around the playground equipment (6)

14. Spice up a gem in a large cask (6)

16. Lashes cause a bit of bother (6)

19. A shrub found at the end of the rainbow (6)

21. Incoherent dialect intelligible only minutely for beginners (5)

24. Make a connection with emeriti, Einstein admits (3,2)

25. What to view in kelp forest we hear (7)

26. Two courted the strange looking axeman (10)

Down

2. Trap Cockney chooks? Nope! (7)

3. Animal with a sore throat by the sound of it (6)

4. Turned the French Red into a rascal (5)

5. Len leaves pencil case disintegrated on mountain tops (7)

6. Gradual updraft, small tornado initially gets the wind up (4)

7. Abruptly ad lib (3,4)

8. Discrown every second statue (4)

13. Three sided island? (7)

15. Net goal for fruit (7)

17. I tag tea for a shake up (7)

18. Holds what’s out in (6)

20. Feet of ancient Greeks (5)

22. Found a goat in the Carib excavations (4)

23. Stack from one direction to another (4)