TELEGRAPH CROSSWORDS

Across

1 Where many academics go and yak, maybe getting cross (8) 5 Flash employer that clears out pests (6)

9 One carries out sting, sending top officer into prison in disguise (8)

10 Take first drive to see what’s before you, as we say, on holiday (3,3)

11 Get support from bottom place? Sad! (3,4)

12 Deputy whip interrupts small row (5-2)

13 We must join in rioting for leftie that’s big in Paris (6,5) 16 Where problems for examination are solved by specialist on paper (5,6)

21 One goes across, apparently, and one can turn either way (7) 22 Characters axed by EastEnders (7)

23 Novelty tat, e.g. dagger cases from the East (6)

24 Favoured offspring reportedly given sack – that is fired (3,5) 25 As a result, remainder will be most upset (6)

26 Who’s relatively representative of an entire nation? (5,3)

Down

1 Haunt of bosses for recreation (6)

2 Name of writer of novels and Three Sisters (6)

3 Pick up stray following mischief-maker (7)

4 No flight needed to visit here (6,5)

6 In retirement care, volunteers turning up lay it on thick (7) 7 Son will get dope and slump (8) 8 Where things get strained, learning religion with glitzy trappings (8)

12 Inoculate for treatment? Odds on that would be guessing (11)

14 Something enjoyed in Germany, South Africa and America: dates (8)

15 My bags laden in the wrong order – it’s a riddle (8)

17 They come from across the Atlantic in tugs to go round eastern Spain (7)

18 Occasionally appearing old, a group trains over common (7) 19 Ray’s arrows (6)

20 Revere joins up to undermine English (6)