CRYPTIC CLUES

ACROSS 1 Appalled when silver hat’s removed (6) 4 Make article in Greek island (6)

9 Bank staff who give away secrets? (7) 10 Cuts pinch in ship (5)

11 Hear end of story (4)

12 Recreation that is organised with rules (7) 14 Where legal terms are found, to be sure (6) 16 Craftily slip round to get the firearm (6) 19 Messing up final is hard to bear (7) 21 Stole to cover gifts (4)

23 One getting up from slumber is erect (5) 24 Cook eating duck with a large animal (7) 25 Queen sent out for Hemingway, perhaps (6) 26 Mediterranean island’s tree reported (6) DOWN 1 Opposed to being in quarantine (4) 2 Layabout trapped by tough rope at sea (7) 3 European root vegetable (5)

5 Boy in Italy initially becoming Italian composer (7) 6 Cease to be consumed by gold for so long (5) 7 Wind brings flower into cathedral city (8)

8 Holy song season doesn’t end in the afternoon (5) 13 Rip seeds apart – scatter over a wide area (8) 15 Attempts to sway soft ref (7)

17 Part of articulated lorry lit – rear, possibly (7) 18 Lines recited, say, in cathedral (5)

20 Ben is novel writer (5)

21 Perverse to include alternative care (5) 22 Jokes, they leave you speechless (4)