CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

No 16,828

ACROSS

6 Presently in position that offers no hope of success (2-3,9) 9 Our group attend party involving Irish eccentric (6) 10 Before end of July he tried changing geneticist’s subject (8) 11 Spanish lecturer’s farm machine (8) 13 Period in which there’s not as much happening (6) 15 They are not all foul and bawdy (6) 17 A crime stopping county’s better venue? (6) 19 Photographic gear arrived with artist (6) 20 Prisoner and French copper (first of two) don’t get on (8) 22 Perch here roughly in dilapidated bridge (8) 24 Disconnect a foreign listener bored by piano (6) 26 Casual tailored suit with nice sunhat (14)

DOWN

1 Rotten painter managed to grasp current meaning (14) 2 Old water-carrier a feature of brewery (4) 3 Embrace ten times, avoiding head (6) 4 Argue violently about sick rebel fighter (8) 5 Stable boss (4) 7 Be a vital part of guide’s direction at entrance? (6) 8 The pope opposed this conventional Welsh songstress (8,6) 12 Eagle’s nest unknown in Great Lake (5) 14 Feed sow, disheartened and unwell (5) 16 Each had terrible athlete’s foot and pain at the other end? (8) 18 One’s succeeded, securing college gate (6) 21 Northeastern river in Russia’s affecting nerves (6) 23 Finished pilotless aircraft right away (4) 25 Somewhat sympathetic way (4)