CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Nitpicker goes over new item of jewellery (7) 5 The architect Jones inspired duke’s colour (6) 9 Extension of plant tried coiling round north end of wall (7) 10 Exhibitionist who’s foolishly on holiday (4-3) 11 I have gorgeous

clothes (3) 12 Expert due in to break down costs (11) 13 Initially, every musician in pit managed to keep these (5) 14 Serious London detectives departed here (9) 16 Take apart theatre in gloomy end of avenue (9) 17 Look, company features

in German article (5) 19 Just the conditions for unreliable sort of friend? (4-7) 22 Top-class

service vessel (3) 23 Restrain guy back in prison? The other way round! (7) 24 Absurd target restricts

a boating event (7) 26 King’s English conflict

separated daughters (6) 27 French zoologist’s revolting stuff blocks most of lake (7)

DOWN

1 Tolerant person

waiting to see GP (7) 2 Such an officer manages in semi with no mod cons (15) 3 Broadcast at regular intervals in aviary (3) 4 Plant bulb centrally

in dump (5) 5 Imply annuities need

to be arranged (9) 6 Garment smuggled into suburbs of Delhi? (5) 7 Lots of stars here cook local Ulster grub (8,7) 8 Hurt old females

reaching closure (6) 12 Heath taken in by

Americans (5) 14 Gateshead, after early changes, makes progress (4,5) 15 Foreign articles of

greater age (5) 16 Libel titled lady accommodating English fellow (6) 18 Managed to

fire rifle (7) 20 Witchcraft with a small amount of

liquid brought in (5) 21 Hard test every

sixty minutes (5) 25 Working out contribution from clergymen (3)