CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Won first prize with Spades, but they live at other’s expense (4,7)

9 Soldiers go north of the Border, on paper (5) 10 Small number get more extensive, but not any more (2,6)

12 An old king losing force took a little girl from Tyneside (7)

13 May have to re-enter arrangement if earthbound (7)

14 Would a fly-by-night get right back to a redcap? (5)

15 Start to 27 across to be in the public eye (9) 18 Reckoned to size up a top diplomat, having placed a value on him (9)

20 Some Scots start out with extensive use of the vernacular (5)

21 Path a learner has to follow on a circular route (7)

24 Study a clergyman, in short, taking time to prove him guilty (7)

25 It’s let out to produce a pointed blade (8) 26 Does he create random numbers in a Western? I expect so (5)

27 It’s quite plain that a long article has got shorter (11)

DOWN

2 Admitted one had ended up in residence at college (5,2)

3 A meal is prepared, finally, in a full service (6,3)

4 Find an opening in the French premier team (5)

5 Frequent a catholic comprehensive, in the main (7)

6 It’s a bit rough, we’re told, on a female sandpiper (5)

7 Don’t lose sight of a popular flowering plant (6-2-3)

8 Was unaware of crude tin on 9 across (8) 11 Join forces with it, to create a good working relationship (3,8) 16 Long-standing belief by those wedded to the past (3,6)

17 Is reading about the first tractor going over rising ground (8)

19 Did couple take a chance on a common seaman? (7)

20 At issue, captures some short lyric poems (7)

22 Stick to hard-earned starts, so could clean up (5)

23 Left a note right at the end, further down the line (5)