Double trouble

ACROSS

Essential bodily fluid • Ponder (upon) persistently (5) Cooker • Push (5) Split into two equal parts • Searched for water using rods (7) Bet • Thin crisp biscuit (5) Jane —, Charlotte Bronte novel • Ancient Greek stringed instrument (4) Bald Without a successor (8) Animal’s nose • Strong dark beer (5) Wading bird with a long straight bill Sweeping stroke (5) Abroad • Supervises (8) Prevent • Retail outlet (4) Marie —, Nobel prize-winning scientist • Oddity (5) Emerged from an egg • Small axe (7) Classic game of skill for two players • Plant used in salad or as a garnish (5) 28 Slithering reptile • Trap (5) 1 4 10 11 12 13 15 16 21 23 25 26 27

DOWN

Each clue leads to two answers which differ from each other by one letter. You must decide which is the correct one. For example, the two possible answers to 1A are BLOOD and BROOD — the answer to 2D will reveal which one is correct. Solutions in Monday’s Daily Record

Prised • Young hare (7) Pig’s noise • Close and open one eye briefly and deliberately (4) Of imposing height • Recoiling (with fear) (8) Indistinct • Worth (5) Military command • More peculiar (5) Cow’s milk producing gland • — Milk Wood, Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor film (5) Edge of a steep place • Quick, lively (5) The —, horror-themed 1960s sitcom • —, Inc., animated family movie (8) 17 Ewer • Threw (7) 18 Come into contact with • Difficult (5) 19 Lissom • Wood-turning machine (5) 20 Malice • Set of hotel rooms (5) 22 — Brooks, country singer •

Cost the —, be very expensive? (5) 24 Astound, shock • Whirled (4) 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 14