CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Keep a firm grip with string, but have to

wait a bit (4,4,6)

9 Clean up US city at a lower level (7) 10 Fewer revolutions for some drivers in

poor clothes (3-4)

11 Moves without restraint for nothing in

bikes, commonly (4-6)

12 Avoid first sign of old nomadic invader

(4)

14 Have to respond if about to get it wrong

(6)

15 Alienate some of the oldest Rangers

fans (8)

17 In the end, repairing things by

correcting them (8)

19 In small measure, can make things

happen (6)

22 Get a large volume into medical library

(4)

23 Have great need, at the end, and

become a lot worse (10)

25 Leaves new organisation to confine

one (7)

26 Are GIS at sea using a spear? (7)

27 May give way, but not so much. Point to

intransigence (14)

DOWN

1 He’ll be on the ball, going at a furious

pace (4,3,7)

2 Lusted over first organ making the

most noise (7)

3 Quaint approach to the eastern hemisphere with a couple of additives (4,6)

4 Head off scholarly type. She deserved it

(6)

5Wanting assistance, he took a record to the

French square (8)

6 Goes on stream to find scarecrows,

finally (4)

7 There’s nowhere to come back to in old

satirical work (7) 8 There’s lots of advantages from an arts festival in addition to wages (6,8) 13 Royal characters get on board at the end with other royals (10)

16 Get in there with new composition. It’s natural (8)

18 In two directions, join forces at the end all together (2,5)

20 At one time, Britain had a point to 21 down (7)

21 She used to come out at the end of a dispute (6)

24 Tend to be a bit scared having to look after one (4)