DOUBLE CROSSWORD

CRYPTIC

ACROSS

1 Ban may bury free speech (12)

9 Belly aching to start and end mob violence (7) 10 Appropriate De Niro performance to get adult rating (2,5)

11 Master brandished chamois in a display of masculinity (8) 12 Half-open palm for starters (6)

14 Sport department head and faculty (5)

16 Like a paperback that’s lacking in character? (9)

18 Bolt from the blue blitzes the underworld (9)

19 Claw sunk into brutal one’s innards (5)

21 A poser rewrote many dramatic works (6)

23 Snail, say, ready for dissection (8)

26 Collier circling a redheaded sailor (7)

27 Red deposit of automobiles? (7)

28 Sparring to follow packaging (6-6)

DOWN

1 Coined expression peculiar to bad behaviour (9)

2 Permit development without final instalment of water rates (5)

3 Circus performer is an expert at the hula hoop! (10) 4 Even in ruins, we find a flower (4)

5 Most awkward when wild rhino interrupts cricket match (9)

6 Rode off on right direction (5)

7 Crippled girl hugs me (6) 8 Head of government raised look of contempt from party (6)

13 Whisper together that some money added to reports of government overthrow (4,3,3)

15 Uppity American disgraced to be physically supported (9) 17 Leaderless men leaning towards joining the army (9) 18 Sweepers find opening in broad spaces (6)

20 Bird made it home, by necessity crossing the street (6)

22 World record originally set in devastating heat (5) 24 Ruling out losing national leading to illness (5)

25 Pull map out (4)