CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

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1 Neat pole damaged by ruminant (8) 5 Manual rewritten by former female student (6)

10 Round northern port, I am returning for paper-folding (7)

11 In the event Ralph found the fin (7) 12 French writer found American river first! (5) 13 Cyril removed colleague in an enthusiastic way (9)

14 Unkempt canine’s tale not meant to be taken seriously (6-3,5)

17 Staircase (8,6)

21 Need great changes to have evolved (9) 23 What to do with a writ to start court proceedings (5) 24 Lady in support had basket (7)

25 Mean at home before midnight to be getting closer (7)

26 Both Poles with agreement to contradict (6) 27 Clergyman always in split (8)

DOWN

1 One to testify and guarantee (6)

2 Win by playing his trump after south passes (7)

3 Sweetbread? No (4,5)

4 Town design used for shawl (7,7)

6 In Berlin actively concealing linear accelerator (5)

7 Romeo, confused, accepts £2 for cherry (7) 8 Nonsense, everything is on first person’s viewer (3,2,3) 9 Toomuchboldness aboutsecret(4-10) 15 Neat configuration of craft (9) 16 Spawning development of distance from one tip to the other (8)

18 Lawrence at French city’s accommodation (7)

19 Star has two drugs (7)

20 Asked for some food in Rose’s place (6) 22 Woman consumed ace Indian dish (5)