CRYP TIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Replant or clip if

very productive (8) 6 Two firms after gold backing

for decoration (6) 9 He reviles a blockhead

employer (6) 10 Very hungry bird

comes to love us (8) 11 Film Ruth, merry

and uproarious (8) 12 Are in debt, but managed

to bring up the children (6) 13 Travelling light? (8,4) 16 Poorly educated and not prepared to grow crops (12) 19 It carries food for an animal — flea, maybe? (6) 21 Newspaper’s deadline? (8) 23 Account presented to member of clergy is absolutely correct (8) 24 Is elected to boards (4,2) 25 A bouquet for mounting (6) 26 Mythical king who never quite

got what he wanted (8)

DOWN

2 Poor golfer perhaps

that still gets down

the hole (6) 3 He composed a catalogue,

we hear (5) 4 Van driver’s warning

on promenade (9) 5 Protective garment put right in wrong closet (7) 6 Wandering dog? (5) 7 Found out people’s feelings involving sand and caves (9) 8 Motive and style that one may use for walking across water (8) 13 A form of art (9) 14 The opposite of all dressed

up and nowhere to go (7,2) 15 Broken fences or

implements (8) 17 Wild flower absorbs nitrogen (7) 18 Rum loo embellished

with gilt decoration (6) 20 Respond — to an encore call? (5) 22 It’s very much used as a prefix (5)