CRYP TIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

7 Adult favouring wearing long apron (8) 9 Definitely in a bad way on express (3,3) 10 Female collecting round Oxford, perhaps (4) 11 One poem (abridged) penned by one of the Mitfords in Cambridge? (10) 12 ‘Sweet’ clued badly by third of setters (6) 14 Gang leader in yarn, detective novel (4,4) 15 More than one place in the country where river’s dropped (6) 17 Soldier’s taken over facilities in homes up north (6) 20 Secretary, calm, appears with Ecstasy tablet (8) 22 Manage to come to party (4,2) 23 On top of everything else, item for auction rejected across London, for instance (2,3,2,3) 24 English philosopher poorly following onset of mumps (4) 25 Ghost, one consumed by anger (6) 26 Rolling Stones song — lyric about diamonds, with cartoon heroine (4,4)

DOWN

1 Having taken drugs, start field event (4,4) 2 Pay wife to go on date (4) 3 Clouts buzzing insect (6) 4 Western star with badge performing in variety (5,3) 5 Completed novel, a mystery (6,4) 6 Coming from Tallinn, perhaps caught short after Indian restaurant meal (6) 8 Mystery in game unravelled (6) 13 Jazz pianist’s number I introduced to camp (5,5) 16 Nothing left in safe (3,5) 18 Second job in food shop during function (8) 19 A particular detachment of troops (6) 21 A plank on a yacht, maybe (6) 22 A boy enthralled by my illness (6) 24 Jack, coming in low, exudes charm (4)