THE ORIGINAL SOUTH AFRICAN CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

Across

1 Absorb second little pet (3,2) 4 Star observed around cold river

with umbrella (9)

9 Sadly geese burn in range (9) 10 Needless frame around old

vessel is annoying (5)

11 Work together, part of Australia

is eager (6)

12 Approach a stuttering bird with

due camouflage (8)

14 Joined forces and gathered

around wild boar (12)

17 Links firm resistance to family

members (12)

20 Quiet and dispersed, mice are

widespread (8)

21 Fill up as I laze - lacking energy

- back (6)

23 Picks up heroes on coasts (5) 24 Australian finds gold in a large pit

with no opening (9)

25 Fortunate to be a novel first

product from coral tree (5,4) 26 Pulls US citizens (5)

Down

1 Disregard regular loud cry of Red

Stumpnose (4,4)

2 Minister in bucket seat initially

succeeds (8)

3 Actor creates balls-up with lazy

pose (4,11)

4 Very odd gecko disappears,

looking for trouble (4)

5 Gone about putting one in list that

is open for debate (10)

6 Sure I play with laity, but

respecting privacy (15)

7 Talking to those crying, having run

out of time (6)

8 Ate without cast? (6)

13 Match point after serving into a

cord (10)

15 Work up to pose with one leg,

standing (8)

16 When, for example, res is

disturbed by testers (8) 18 Strange pull about greeting that

is difficult (6)

19 Clone B is created as one (2,4) 22 Habit that is good to have (4)

During the lockdown, readers are invited to go to the JDE facebook page for a daily JDE crossword as well as a daily Beginners’ Corner to learn how to do cryptic crosswords.