DOUBLE CROSSWORD

CRYPTIC ACROSS

1 Honour one’s pledge to look after single blade (4,4,4)

9 Exit from outside lane by main road (5)

10 With boiling sun and high temperatures, he was right to take off covers (9)

11 Plant a grim bundle of little weight (9) 12 Relationship that is in the can (3,2)

13 Tax cut (6)

15 See grand possibilities in explosive devices (8) 17 Wasted pence in closing sign with spectacles (5-3) 19 Is more unusual, but more or less the same compound? (6) 23 Reluctance to work during opening hours (5)

24 Scoop ribs out with the nose (9)

26 Point out joint condition when not taking part (6,3) 27 Put up stocking around the middle of January (5) 28 Labelling funny men with distinguishing traits (7,5)

DOWN

1 A lark made at home for cattle (5)

2 Opponents of Vietnamese lost a TV war (7)

3 Love amateur revue as a work of art (6)

4 Sucker spreading same solution around the stern of leaky boat (4,4)

5 When bagging variety of tea as a little yellow (7) 6 Blighter and mother go to town in Holland (9)

7 Burning iron to seal sheep meat (6)

8 Used nets in ball game (6) 14 Syndicates animated cartoons without the writer (9)

16 Pond weed flourished right at the bottom (4,4) 17 Transmit or die from disease, perhaps (4,2) 18 Make the loan arrangements for fuel (7) 20 Hold down contents of thermos (7)

21 Darts out of some vegetation (6)

22 Clear headed regarding vision of some Egyptians (6) 25 Suit social groups (5)