CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

No 17,048

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ACROSS

6 Proper care is in order when acquiring French article for large vehicles (6,8)

9 Family behind much of company has small cask (6)

10 Reed, say, kept by varied snobs in loosefitting jackets (8)

11 Block group of spies getting natural raw material? (4,4)

13 A tax around island close

to home for pilot (6)

15 Terrible creep holding current set of cooking instructions (6)

17 Decisive step from set leaving Spain on journey (6)

19 Show fright in unruly country with no end of intimidation (3,3)

20 Support a companion beginning to experience a form of pain (8)

22 Join learner given time

in main body of plane (8) 24 Concealed area in large

canvas shelter (6)

26 Each asset distributed, perhaps, depending on circumstances (2,3,4,3,2)

DOWN

1 Support lingers surprisingly for breakaway bodies (8,6)

2 Some shocking

white wine (4)

3 Breather amid exercise

— or quick dive (6)

4 Conceited artist, half obscured, stifling awful groan (8)

5 Make a sibilant sound

in this style (4)

7 Charlie with awkward gait heading off to get small round stone (6)

8 Call before most of later reforms to do things differently? (4,3,7)

12 Virile male needs a cut

of meat endlessly (5)

14 Trade in capital on the

rise in holiday island (5) 16 Feverish patient consumes first of chocolates? A negligible amount (8)

18 A senior woman

of habit? (6)

21 Row of figures in part

of a newspaper (6)

23 Resounding noise

in city house (4)

25 Playthings too, yes,

missing essential parts (4)