CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

6 I find fast cars tricky around

large refuges in road (7,7) 9 Tall grass perplexed all but last

foursome (6) 10 Clot ruined mobile with SIM I

left out (8) 11 He’s a sceptic, acting so

irrationally (8) 13 Reptile that’s nearly surrounded by sea in Cornwall (6) 15 Attempt to hide a pound in

hat (6) 17 Herbaceous plant in wood

close to elm (6) 19 Gunmen arrived first, shooting with this (6) 20 Using PA system with no

time at first is tiresome (8) 22 Lout asked rebels about

trendy hotel (8) 24 The powerful could possibly

finish in misery (6) 26 Bernard rated as controversial party leader (8-6)

DOWN

1 Honest sailor with French

restraint (14) 2 Hurtful remark from hairdresser put off Elizabeth (4) 3A n exhibit in procession at sea

perhaps (6) 4 Ferdinand’s queen lives with a

beautiful Italian (8) 5 I’d say auction canvas (4) 7 Hold tight student enclosed in

church (6) 8 Biased Democrat lives with almost crooked Conservative (14) 12 Cook unfinished fruit (5) 14 Full of exuberance in quizzes

typically (5) 16 Bishop parked poorly, admitting a problem with this? (5,3) 18 Frank’s auxiliary verb forms

(6) 21 No anaesthetic? (6) 23 Square 21 (4) 25 Former vice president’s

choice of notes? (4)