CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

No 16,751

ACROSS

1 I can’t stand that artist in Gulf state (7) 5 Lounge lizard initially twists back (6) 9 Bread winner’s type of desk? (4-3) 10 Look after group’s attitude (4-3)

11 Like hotel made of wood (3) 12 Stale lyrics, when rewritten, become clear (11) 13 Long, long time before November (5) 14 Banned weapon destroyed in Saigon ops (6,3) 16 One dance or another involving melted butter (9) 17 Blackish fluid very

good in the main (5) 19 Colourful fliers embarrassed naval commanders (3,8) 22 Fury that is overcoming resistance (3) 23 They interpret scores of various teams on Rhode Island (7) 24 Magnificent British

bible, oddly unreal (7) 26 Accompany score back to front with tango (6) 27 Part of old sewer altered unexpectedly (7)

DOWN

1 Polish upset Republican cutting state grant (7) 2 He fears Shetland’s widespread lack of energy (4-11) 3 Colonist raised in

Vietnam (3) 4 Quick dram? Pity

when it’s gone! (5) 5 Unknown item one might broadcast to support soprano (9) 6 After surgery, learn

about kidneys (5) 7 Dishes £51? This should put a shine on them (7-2,6) 8 Small lock subject

to tension (6) 12 Staff’s taken over

ordinary craft (5) 14 One plugs pics built

to be displayed (9) 15 Old fool commandeers independent watering hole (5) 16 He wrote about boat trip Joe ran with me, taking in river (6) 18 It’s mean to state how

old one is (7) 20 The same individual on the wagon stops party (5) 21 Superior books sent

in to a complex (5) 25 Copy samples now

and then (3)