CRYP TIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Impostor? Nonsense (6) 5 Disease, nasty-sounding — pets affected (4-4) 9 Honeymoon suite for them — grand bedroom, I suspect (5,3,5) 10 Mate ringing a seabird is taking protective interest (8) 11 French dramatist elected to enter competition (6) 12 Nothing about English version in US state (6) 14 Work in vile Parisian prison (8) 16 A female, silver-tongued and wealthy (8) 19 Pop out after beer in Syrian city (6) 21 Foremost of players to speak in golf club (6) 23 Story one cadet concocted (8) 25 Guy at No. 9, best player on pitch? (3,2,3,5) 26 In power replacing Liberal? Vote received makes this likely (8) 27 Untidy, dancing in state of undress (6)

DOWN

2 Drunken bum’s ardour causing offence (7) 3 Carrot bachelor covered with cheese (5) 4 Novelist suppressing joke — it’s fruity (9) 5 Following suit, mostly to impress a new group of admirers (3,4) 6 Bet salary on first of runners (5) 7 In favour of writer exposing outlaw (9) 8 Influential in workshop, ignoring right line (7) 13 Suddenly, everyone agreed about carbon (3,2,4) 15 Political leaders ordered means test (9) 17 Perplex loud clumsy person (7) 18 Vandalised paintings mounted in front of hut (7) 20 Crack in planter’s recent (3,4) 22 Fire damaged rear of boat, resulting in this? (5) 24 Old-fashioned old man penning note (5)