thecrosswords
CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS
1 Shanty for the rest of the sailors (5) 8 Michael about to declare his views are eccentric (8) 9 Marksmen are exposed in photographs (5) 10 Maybe it’s plain, but here it’s chaos (8) 11 Decide in favour of being overweight (5) 12 It may extinguish a fire in an aircraft (3) 16 Girl bather in trouble and out of breath (6) 17 Where an adder slides to and fro (6) 18 A man’s title conceals a blemish (3) 23 Actual number in the kingdom (5) 24 Kitchen accessories distributed at stores (8) 25 Bulb lit up strangely (5) 26 Came round about six and complained (8) 27 My tea turns out to be good and substantial (5)
DOWN
2 Hero achieves eminence among experts (8) 3 I meant it, it could be private (8) 4 A padre is required to compose a march (6) 5 Shuts up the animals (5) 6 Quick, it’s cold! (5) 7 Hides one’s relatives on board (5) 12 A sticky situation (3) 13 The pitch of the road (3) 14 Arrive at a certain conclusion (4,4) 15 One may be still due for some satisfaction (8) 19 One is prone to use this example of inflation (3,3) 20 Glue for a piece of wood (5) 21 Cut the number in custody (5) 22 Everybody is about to read Coral Island (5)
QUICK CLUES ACROSS
1 Disreputable (5) 8 Remote from active involvement (8) 9 Publicly acknowledged (5) 10 Embarrassed (3-5) 11 Diminish (5) 12 Trap (3) 16 Strike out (6) 17 Be plentiful (6) 18 Newt (3) 23 A hard-wearing cotton fabric (5) 24 In the sky (8) 25 A thin soup (5) 26 String of beads, pearls etc. (8) 27 Extra (5)
DOWN
2 Surrender possession of (4,4) 3 Naively credulous (4-4) 4 Distress greatly (6) 5 Eat greedily (5) 6 Absurd proceedings (5) 7 Buying and selling (5) 12 Very small (3) 13 A flying mammal (3) 14 Time-worn and shabby (3-5) 15 Eagerly expecting (2,6) 19 Humiliating failure (6) 20 To matter (5) 21 Clemency (5) 22 South American country (5)