DOUBLE CROSSWORD

CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS: 3 Something for people to obey or dance round in (9)

8 Consumes some meat spread (4)

9 Put in for one stripe, perhaps (9)

10 Approximate length of an informal adieu (2,4)

11 Finally refusing employment (5)

14 Attire suitable for climbers (3-2)

15 You won’t hear yourself so described (4)

16 Possibly smart vehicles (5)

18 He’s wicked when old (4)

20 It must be back before the tenth (5)

21 Bird came out of the pines (5)

24 Spat in the tank lethargically! (6)

25 Watch and see how long the music takes (9)

26 To turn to something fragrant (4) 27 Communist compiler’s dog? (3,6)

DOWN: 1 He supplies people with the latest information (9)

2 Exercises lithe cats become involved in (9)

4 A step up the ladder (4)

5 Thoughts from Sadie (5)

6 Add a very quiet finale (6)

7 Group of actors start to fish (4)

9 To sleep in it is unfitting (5)

11 It’s the custom to give us time (5)

12 Good breeding quality (9)

13 It may come from a friend, but also from a foe in fact (9)

17 Half a quarter (5)

19 Lowers oneself? (6)

22 It may be used for coats of many colours (5)

23 Apparently not the top team (4)

24 A chore with no alternative but to hurt (4)

QUICK CLUES

ACROSS DOWN

3 Candidate (9) 1 Strength (9)

8 Finished (4) 2 Answer (9)

9 Expiation (9) 4 Way (4)

10 However (6) 5 Of the moon (5)

11 Avarice (5) 6 Force (6)

14 Suffuse (5) 7 Not any (4)

15 Go first (4) 9 Consent (5)

16 Shirk (5) 11 Serious (5)

18 Judge (4) 12 Pleasing (9)

20 Yet (5) 13 Flattering (9)

21 Elevate (5) 17 Composition (5) 24 Empty (6) 19 Loadstone (6)

25 Song (9) 22 Move furtively (5) 26 Aspersion (4) 23 Indigent (4)

27 Savagery (9) 24 Huge (4)