Crossword 29,623

Across

1 Crazy slanderous remarks about celebrity in plant (4,7)

9 Ice, briefly, over Irish lake (9) 10 Snare, one so devilish (5)

11 Initial letters from a friend, male (7)

12 Persistently question family that supplies fruit (7)

13 Time to study factory’s routine (9)

16 Fashionable greeting in Conservative clubs (4)

18 Give up Decline and Fall? (4) 19 Top grub, as cooked here? (9) 22 Mythical creature, fabulous bird, displayed over in a French home (7)

23 Severe blow, printing error involving house name (7)

25 Bring in grand polar explorer (5)

26 On crusade to get pardon (9) 27 Initially managed well, nursed by friends in US city (4,7)

Down

1 With complete authority (7) 2 Runner-up in close race? (5) 3 Chef’s mixture, notice, taken in by soldier aboard ship? (8)

4 Wife turned up, about to hit the roof (5)

5 A storage tower erected to keep produce in citadel (9)

6 Energetic type held up by so many duties (6)

7 Intensive course in hospital in Notts town (8)

8 Fox coming from marshy land with endless boldness (6) 14 Feeling upon receiving Charlie’s messaging symbol (8) 15 Usually popular army officer (2,7)

17 One making toast, professional model (8)

18 Menial servant died – Dickens character (6)

20 Two articles supporting bishop? Like crazy (7)

21 Talk idly having small drink after work (6)

23 Prison sentence beginning to skate by (5)

24 Nothing new working under single bulb (5)