CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1. Bird from the moor can’t get right round it (9) 5. Vehicle for hire starts charging at boarding (3) 7. The fleur-de-lis is to be found around one of the USA (4) 8. Position one takes may be insolent in manner (8) 10. Our spice may be of great value (8) 11. A somewhat socialist small sailing-ship (4) 13. Unexpected rejection with respect to the enthusiast (6) 15. Broken chest contains nitrogen and a bad smell (6) 18. It may be after one’s job (4) 19. Passageway or Doric order right for it (8) 22. A lad turning blue deserves one’s praise (8) 23. End of Axis seen by one invaded by it (4) 24. Add a dram for the infant (3) 25. The way the railway was meant to last (9)

DOWN

1. A tea-ship looked singular in a barber’s hands (7) 2. Ear is flapping if there’s more money in the pay-packet (5) 3. Scheming with the Dodger (6) 4. It may give a hint of being skinny (4) 5. A warning about an amusing person (7) 6. Snooker score built up in the intermission (5) 9. The instant success of the padded mail-bag (5) 12. Utterly nude and unadorned (5) 14. Unglazed pottery may be a cracker (7) 16. Crop has rash: vet can deal with it (7) 17. A copper for the old fowl (6) 18. Flier has to plan his route around one (5) 20. A non-worker will sound very boring (5) 21. An eye on the electric light bulb (4)

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION: Across 1. Paltry 4. Scales 9. Romance 10. Mop up 11. Amok 12. Fall 13. Ear 15. Neat 16. Disc 19. Art 21. Idea 22. Knot 24. Crown 25. Piccolo 26. Letter 27. Adders

Down 1. Part and parcel 2. Lampoon 3. Ring 5. Complain 6. Lapse 7. Superstitious 8. Medal 14. Patience 17. Console 18. Tempo 20. Trout 23. Acid