CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

Across

6. Quirky wedding beside a lake surrounding nunnery (14)

9. Lay at first in bed mostly the worse for wear (6)

10. Suppress the short races in part (8)

11. Men only put in reduced bid behind the scenes (8)

13. I have something to eat after duck (6)

15. One’s knackered touring Australia? Take a nap (6)

17. Funny story about English aphrodisiac? (6)

19. Seize someone’s bed containing genetic material (6)

20. A metaphor is meant to comprise a pithy expression (8)

22. Offensive articles by grad

uate (8)

24. One participates in beam as fit as a fiddle, say (6)

26. Papers I study with Italian recalled tale about American (14)

Down

1. Flashy and loud with fine bust, like figure hugging clothing (5,9)

2. Racecourse bans a Glaswegian perhaps (4)

3. Wool supplier’s new in Athens marketplace (6)

4. Cultivate tiny tree for donkey’s years (8)

5. Mail initially stuffed in pocket (4)

7. European runs into upset judge (6)

8. Sport I’ll win with strangle potentially? (3-2,9)

12. Small instrument, like 3 (5)

14. Decide to dispense with mine that’s put off (5)

16. An unknown number of people managed to ignore old popular flyer (8)

18. Trip to see game in South

Africa arranged to bypass Cape (6)

21. Cavalryman originally had one in Russia formerly (6)

23. Savour endless dance (4)

25. Bloke hides one watercarrier (4)