Double Crossword

CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS

1 Wonderful, wonderful birthday’s beginning (6)

5 Helps wild beast (5)

9 Shelf is left with border attached (5)

10 Savoury biscuit changed to a gateau (7)

11 Complain about the fish (4)

12 Large number of handouts distributed (8)

16 Traditional relish for animal right on a plate (11)

18 Bridle parts next to each other, appearing gradually (3,2,3)

21 Notion some hide away (4)

23 Eggplant not in French inn (7)

24 Entire cavity pronounced (5)

25 Determined to fight (3‑2)

26 Greek island with a pastry (6)

DOWN

2 Less than 12 inches on the ground (9)

3 Seeing things (4)

4 Soup in lesser disarray with fellowship (13)

6 Puts money on second, and second again! (5)

7 Symbol to understand (5)

8 Notice timekeeper (5)

13 Bring ruin on United Nations function (4)

14 Diligent Saudi’s about to ring America (9)

15 Children’s game is extremely pacy (1‑3)

17 Daughters outside are challenged! (5)

19 Get used to being in river (5)

20 Sheepish sound from the French entering club (5)

22 Crawl slowly with inverse motion at first (4)

QUICK CLUES

ACROSS

1 Upward journey (6)

5 German World War II submarine (1‑4)

9 Mauve‑flowered shrub (5)

10 Sovereign’s domain (7)

11 Principal gas line (4)

12 Palaeolithic and Neolithic times (5,3)

16 Alcohol‑fuelled behaviour (11)

18 Person from a north‑eastern Italian city (8)

21 Key issue (4)

23 Padded chair side (7)

24 At what place? (5)

25 Literary category (5)

26 Spanish celebration (6)

DOWN

2 Continue doggedly (7,2)

3 Apiece (4)

4 Give support to (4,3,4,2)

6 Military brass instrument (5)

7 In the middle of (5)

8 Culpability (5)

13 Convent sisters (4)

14 Sponge‑like (9)

15 Kitchen fitment (4)

17 Be very good (at) (5)

19 Spookily odd (5)

20 Blunder (5)

22 Affectedly cute (4)