CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1. Of excellent quality, like the number of bodies in the Southern Cross? (4-4) 5. Hopes, but loses middle of garden tools (4)

9. Leave banana dessert? (5) 10. Chat going around Rio in horse-drawn vehicle (7) 11. Love? It’s expensive! (4) 12. Oil-grain mixture – it’s unique (8)

14. What one uses when on the fiddle? (6)

15. Some plans were a response (6) 18. Rewritten memoir up in large department store (8) 20. Skidded to Sid on left (4) 23. No item of furniture is worthy of note (7)

24. Needs courage somewhat to clean vigorously (5) 25. Food dressing, none after fifth month (4)

26. Medics to change in the home (8)

DOWN

1. Initially Frank used then joined together (5)

2. Cool van explodes on Mount Etna, for example (7) 3. Sight, sound and location (4) 4. Agreement due to noise of a chord (6)

6. On and on with one in middle with root vegetable (5) 7. New letters from colonist (7)

8. Tan fellow reveals direction one takes when flying off subject (7)

13. Mice crawl over Rob leaving germ (7)

14. Main vet moves to Asian country (7)

16. Leave to hike, not at home (4,3) 17. Outed over ten in formal suit (6)

19. Pretty but not right small (5) 21. Cord I wound about style of Greek architecture (5)

22. I’ll hear from small piece of land (4)