CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

8 Soft drink provided by a reception in French daily (8)

9 These gates may have opening for phantom before time (6)

10 They manage to extract a penny from pennies (6)

11 Got better when arrested (6,2) 12 Amphibian that’s not on as far as physicist’s concerned (4)

13 Disparaged, rating deed poorly (10)

15 Hid nice version of Welsh motto (3,4) 17 Doesn’t remember to fabricate outline of theories (7)

20 Finally finds railway out of commission (6,4) 22 They are found at 18 when final horror is removed from fear (4)

24 Disagree after photographic equipment found in French nature reserve (8) 26 Faces up to challenge of one item of underwear almost immediately after another (6)

27 Inflame rabble if pure (4,2)

28 To join fracture needs to be extra game (3-5) DOWN

1 Garden incumbent takes on extra at first to give instructions for body of ... (6)

2 ... garden pests that Edward subjected to abusive treatment and ... (8)

3 ... enquired about sleeping accommodation in garden facilities, where ... (6,4)

4 ... Pilgrim’s slough had elements of French garden feature (7)

5 Online image that’s larger than life (4)

6 It has lead to high wind _ irrelevant (6) 7 French writer who’s nearly refutable when analysed (8)

ROS SHERARD 14 Reason to complain about prepared meat (6,4)

16 Diary cat composed for personal column (8) 18 Doc rages out of control in churchyard (4,4) 19 French novelist permitted to reside along French coast (7)

21 Has a burning desire for drug at wild parties (6)

23 Insane ranger gives up places for sport (6) 25 Missing links when English pasta’s served up (4)