Two-speed coffeebreak
Two sets of clues – but the answers are the same
Cryptic clues
ACROSS 1 Firework found in salad (6) 4 Showed contempt in tiff (4) 7 Wickedness in the village (4) 8 Agent has even less money (6) 9 Heard end of story (4) 10 Regarded as part of the play, say (4) 12 Pale sort of request (4) 14 Rendition’s conclusion (3) 16 Copper gets point of signal (3) 17 Once ordered ice cream (4) 20 Care about tree (4) 23 Stream of brilliance (4) 24 Plot involved danger (6) 25 Aunt mad for fish (4) 26 Bachelor’s pain (4) 27 Get comfortable at home with the French (6)
DOWN 1 Right to boot out a machine (5) 2 Boast about argument (4) 3 Reticent about trees (5) 4 Ties up venue (4) 5 Surface temperature on Mars, say (6) 6 Time to tear into fashion (5) 11 Merit of learning (4) 13 Decorate with alcohol? (4) 15 Breaking the law to get riches (6) 16 Roughly in Latin (5) 18 Instrument using argon (5) 19 Extent of anger varies (5) 21 Prompt, having left a hint (4) 22 Change during meditation (4)
Quick clues
ACROSS 1 Spaceship (6) 4 Quarrel (4) 7 Wicked (4) 8 Dealer (6) 9 Fable (4) 10 Spotted (4) 12 Entreaty (4) 14 Finish (3) 16 Snooker stick (3) 17 Geometric figure (4) 20 Japanese maple (4) 23 Small brook (4) 24 Back yard (6) 25 Sandwich filling (4) 26 Yearn (4) 27 Snuggle (6)
DOWN 1 Automaton (5) 2 Black bird (4) 3 Curt (5) 4 Location (4) 5 Celestial body (6) 6 Fad (5) 11 Deserve (4) 13 Shoe fastening (4) 15 Opulence (6) 16 Approximately (5) 18 Body part (5) 19 Scope (5) 21 Piece of evidence (4) 22 Revise (4)