Double trouble

ACROSS

Feel sorry for • Large urban centre ( 4)

Logged • Wind instrument ( 8)

Empty threats •

Make- up applied to the cheeks ( 7)

— Sarandon, Oscar- winning actress •

African country whose capital is Khartoum ( 5) Linguine or penne, eg •

Pale or unhealthy looking ( 5)

Individual fact or item • Selling of goods ( 6) Female elephant Scatter ( seed) ( 3)

Prickly shrub

Costly building with no practical purpose ( 5) Quick swim •

Place where something is torn ( 3)

Historical instrument of punishment

Thickset ( 6)

Smouldering piece of coal •

Fossil resin ( 5)

24 Detected sound • Vital organ ( 5)

25 Joy • — My Fire, no 1 for Take That ( 7)

27 Forest glade • Removing dirt, polishing ( 8)

28 Decelerate • Wintry weather ( 4) 1 3 9

10

11

12 14 16

18

19

21

DOWN

Each clue leads to two answers which differ from each other by one letter. You must decide which is the correct one. For example, the two possible answers to 1A are PITY and CITY — the answer to 1D will reveal which one is correct.

Solutions in Monday’s Irish Mirror

Disorderly crowd • Male swan ( 3)

Confidence • Bind, tie ( up) ( 5)

Make a mistake •

Major division of geological time ( 3)

Start of an illness? •

Magnified atlas image ( 5)

File • More authoritarian ( 7)

Armoured vehicle • Foul- smelling ( 4)

Defeat thoroughly • Songbird ( 6)

Good fortune • Ice hockey disc ( 4)

Hold- up • Rot ( 5)

Mark left by a wound

Electrical power •

Loss through careless use ( 7)

17 Almost • Occurring every 12 months ( 6)

20 Provide food ( for) • Highland Games log ( 5) 22 Commenced One who does not consume animal produce ( 5)

Elegant and stylish •

Facial feature ( 4)

25 Loud noise • Achieve first place in a game ( 3) 26 Drag behind • Summit ( 3) 1 2 4

5

6 7 8 11 12 13 15

23

• Practise boxing ( 4)