QUICK CLUES

ACROSS

1 Season (6) 4 Stair (4) 7 Declare (4) 8 Take into custody (6) 9 Ritual (4) 10 Level (4) 12 Gaelic (4) 14 Type of element (3) 16 Vehicle (3) 17 Stringed instrument (4) 20 Unwrap (4) 23 On a single occasion (4) 24 Injury (6) 25 Relax (4) 26 Type (4) 27 Hire charge (6)

DOWN

1 Group of insects (5) 2 Seldom seen (4) 3 Portals (5) 4 Tender (4) 5 Sharp pain (6) 6 Squeeze (5) 11 Singlet (4) 13 Character (4) 15 Shopkeeper (6) 16 Irate (5) 18 Below (5) 19 Magic formula (5) 21 Solid fuel (4) 22 Desire (4) Solutions in next week’s Sunday Mirror