CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Instructed old king

and old socialist (7)

5 Left Dave struggling

to contain lion? (7)

9 Unlovely boy good

for church music (9)

10 Dignified knocking

beer back (5)

11 Arab seen in Romania (5)

12 Male is taken in by worthless fortune-telling (9)

13 Military command: go after

crippled U-boat (5-4) 16 Admonish Charlie, flogged

outside (5)

17 Ascetic’s last to

leave German city (5)

18 Cry, having cut gathering

fruit (4,1,4)

20 Case for governmental

responsibility (9)

23 Nasty bug from priest keeping

company (1,4)

25 Criticise severely when stopping

nonsense (5)

26 Canine, say, barking

regardless (2,3,4) 27 Opponent takes over church in

ancient city (7)

28 Stylish English worker holding

on (7)

DOWN

1 Top CIA agent initially mixed

pudding (7)

2 Headdress so long one wears (5) 3 Heroic animal runs home to

young Belgian adventurer (3,3,3) 4 Doctor round surgery to wilt (5) 5 One unofficially upholding law

leaving it in ruins (9)

6 Crumbs US soldier gives dog (5) 7 Firm line taken in balancing

act (9) 8 Poem sung in act held up (7) 14 Domestic support for alumnus

on the look-out (9)

15 Sun terribly mischievous or

concerned for others? (9) 16 Extra weight that’s

in the boot? (5,4)

17 Ransacked in Roma:

pie shops (7)

19 Intend to appear

in torn dress (7)

21 Great lump taken from

turf at source (5)

22 Some get a rollicking

over talk (5)

24 City in South Africa

in fine area (5)