CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 What artist does is attractive (5)

4 Obliged to survey Englishmen on vacation (8)

8 Queen's night attire simply the best?

(3,4,7)

10 Genuine theft, real criminal (9)

11 Contrary old soldier, mother's mate from abroad (5)

12 Present playing cards for the individual (2,4) 14 Be marked, cut by one German with sword

(8)

17 Artillery arriving by parachute, presumably causing a bit of a splash? (8) 18 Nurse, close to despair in scoundrel's grip, fled unclothed (6) 20 Pants son's wearing split more than once (5)

22 Person applying pressure on branch to supply cheese (9) 24 Penchant, eg. for arresting police inspectors (14)

25 Mineral is extracted from fluid epoxy resin (8)

26 Springtime sound from insect, perhaps (5)

DOWN

1 Bottle after bottle? (5,7)

2 Lakeland setting for youth leader (5)

3 Small furry animal, extremely 7, spruced up (9)

4 Vehicle that is top of range is less available (6)

5 Rick and Henry always succeeded on course (8)

6 Soft fabric supplier from America completely revolutionised (5) 7 Eastern spies with yoked clothing wasted (9)

9 Caterer found bananas for lengthy sporting event (4,2,6)

13 Shock solution's risky, Superman from time to time admitted (4,5) 15 Mum going round university in Paris arranged a place for Joey (9)

16 Company porters attending church merge in (8)

19 The author's facade's put on (6)

21 Loner's curious since travelling north (5) 23 Harsh year, marked by pollution (5)