CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Like amateur in

church, primarily (4) 3 Bar bowler for match between

close rivals (5,5) 8 Someone going mad put butter

on signalling device (8) 9 Friend’s stable occupation (6) 10 Fight against doctor in

Ulster, perhaps (6) 11 Jump over insects in

tight trousers (3,5) 13 Place for hard work where someone having a row’s unknown (8) 14 Expression of disgust that man’s picked up as Poet Laureate once (6) 16 Not moving? It’s shocking (6) 19 Fashion designers (not one

English) supplying outfit (8) 21 Draws little man as going

after fling, being retired (8) 22 One who is hard up’s written

article about uranium (6) 23 Lark about entertaining

old soldiers (6) 24 Scales, perhaps, everything

back after cut (8) 25 Observed in animated

dances (10) 26 Book dedication of egotist (4)

DOWN

1 Songwriters call up securing one in charts (9) 2 International sportsman with skill getting bronze — he enhanced many grounds (10,5) 3 Someone who’s left something Eastern accepted by ambassador (7) 4 Brief agreement raised

as gesture of respect (7) 5 Stolid politician, one

accosted by drunk (7) 6 One being taught abroad scanned huge text for translation (8,7) 7 Police HQ’s

measures (5) 12 Fix match (3) 15 Angus turned up with mysterious source of sweetness (5,4) 17 Anything from Yorkshire

upset a couple (3) 18 Ascending selection from Pat’s electric keyboard instrument (7) 19 Comical stand-up, collector of dirty material (7) 20 Talk at length about

old stamp (7) 21 Carry on miles — something

regarded with awe (5)