DOUBLE CROSSWORD

CRYPTIC CLUES

Across

1 Speak ill of African country

getting nothing for starters (6)

5 Cook’s covering pub in

outskirts of Putney (5)

9 Len in trouble with the cloth (5)

10 French refusal also to

perplex (7)

11 China caught with drone (4)

12 Points me out as favouring

family (8) 16 Children’s series to be built

in pieces in river (11)

18 Aloud second-rate thinking

is puzzling (8)

21 Doctor to start using gloves

for medicine (4)

23 Jo’s bone is broken in

plastic surgery (4,3)

24 Bit of quiet, by the sound

of it (5)

25 Flipper’s call to those in

charge (5) 26 Tears off with unknown substitute (6)

Down

2 And moulding gold layer to a ridiculous degree (2,7) Europeans with no head for pubs (4) Gifted runner not upset before, despite never receiving payback (3-10) Popular set’s ideas (5) Sisters admitting love for naming words (5) Well-presented nautical film (5) Spheres or bends, no conclusion (4) I approach home with serious intentions (2,7)

15 Enclosures for

birds? (4)

17 Bird to rue, but not

at first (5)

19 Book returned with note to express feelings (5)

20 Overturn object after getting out of bed (2-3)

22 Primates chewed up

peas (4) 3 4 6 7 8 13 14

QUICK CLUES

Across Down

1 Cuppa-making sachet (3,3) 2 Initial period of

5 Lightweight canoe (5) development (5,4)

9 British peers (5) 3 Revel (in) (4)

10 Large strong-clawed 4 Half-century anniversary (6,7)

shellfish (7) 6 Crime of setting fires (5)

11 ___ Ma, Paris-born 7 Prevent, ward off (5)

cellist (2-2) 8 Woman’s name, or gemstone (5) 12 Known for certain (8) 13 Restless desire (4)

16 Water-repellent coat (5,6) 14 Rink footwear with blades (3,6)

18 Laboratory cylinder (4,4) 15 Port side (4)

21 Brush the surface (4) 17 Mona Lisa ___, film starring

23 Moral (7) Julia Roberts and Kirsten Dunst (5) 24 Temporary 19 Supplementary (5)

accommodation (5) 20 Bird’s sound (5)

25 Story by Aesop (5) 22 Guy, bloke (4)