DAILY MAIL CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Leave rocky lair occupied by large animal (7) 5 A small number remove nap (3,3) 9 Name independent old tramp stealing one metal (7) 10 Polish girl’s contagious disease (7) 11 Role that doesn’t start (3) 12 Lounge? Unfortunately it isn’t clean (7,4) 13 Parent traps black snake (5) 14 Desperate, stay next to dump (4-5) 16 Decorate 100 lots of paper as treats for kids (3,6) 17 Split holiday (5) 19 He sent a supply into Asia, showing insensitivity (11) 22 The music describes a bird (3) 23 Routine changes before arrival perhaps (2,5) 24 Composer’s laid out after five past six (7) 26 Calm area missing from Washington port (6) 27 Feeling of guilt about way of communicating (7)

DOWN

1 Checked material, leaving without old ridiculous actor (7) 2 Jumper (adult) keeps spleen around 20°C (4,11) 3 Change in Romania, occasionally in Algeria (3) 4 Own access to mine, saving money (5) 5 Plant U.S. drug agent releases European ignored (9) 6 Disinfect raised plot using germicide at first (5) 7 Orwell felt bad about French barman, a follower of the Reds (6,9) 8 What managed to impress room? Kindness (6) 12 Move over a step (5) 14 Brewing smooth ale can be sickening (9) 15 Charlie’s ahead of this last section of river (5) 16 Face old language group (6) 18 Slippery eel coiled around us four (7) 20 Exhausted writer’s in the way (5) 21 Cut more than a few but not a Liberal (5) 25 One million volts initially generating energy (3)

PRIZES of £20 will be awarded to the senders of the first three correct solutions checked. Solutions to: Daily Mail Prize Crossword No. 15,997, PO BOX 3451, Norwich, NR7 7NR. Entries may be submitted by second-class post. Envelopes must be postmarked no l No 15,997