crossword
A prize of £15 in book tokens will be awarded for the first correct solution opened. Solutions must reach Crossword No 4558, Country Life, Pinehurst II, Pinehurst Road, Farnborough Business Park, Farnborough, Hampshire GU14 7BF, by Tuesday, December 11. UK entrants only.
ACROSS 1 A number of stars in the fairground? (3, 6) 5 Trendy place for computer data? (5) 8 Robbery bringing criticism at university (5-2) 10 Dew Tim’s dispersed in part of US (7) 11 Flower’s quality reached a higher level (8, 4) 14 Hang about: see it come over at last (6) 15 elegant girl coming out and where she may be walking? (8) 16 Assessment of one married in landed property (8) 18 Small truck bringing part of record-player (4-2) 19 Fun, acting as host! (12) 23 Cough medicine they used at first in eastern county (7) 24 Payment senior citizen receives in French boarding house? (7) 25 Venomous creature bigwig viewed with hesitation (5) 26 Lost again, sadly, in wistful yearning (9)
DOWN 1 Most abundant wine store, say, in popular novel (10) 2 Unexpected gratuities english left out for musician (9) 3 Wind-player mentioned in Cockney journal? (5) 4 Regret about son kept in to a greater extent (7) 5 Reluctance to reveal illness (13) 6 Nor many talked of? What a relief! (4) 7 Carry young child over bridge, finally (4) 9 Person teasing cleric, one leaving Worcs town (13) 12 Spiteful talk gets little in support (10) 13 Brainwashing needing thorough look, some say (10) 15 Part of wide, extensive river (3) 17 Originally tenable grounds for treachery (7) 20 Thanks father beginning to serve savoury snacks (5) 21 e.g. east european drudge, almost (4) 22 Photograph game (4)