CRYPTICCROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Signs of victory seen on all hands (5) 4 Tickets required for unsold newspapers (7) 8 They make some ski arrangement, as one might expect (7) 9 Beat and verve required for this measure (5) 10 On a charge this might well be sinister (4) 11 Congratulatory message when the drilling operation is finished (4,4) 13 The pupils, we hear, who produce a favourable vote (4) 14 Grumble about the main course, maybe (4) 16 Takes out another policy - but gets better! (8) 17 Some harbour dues with which Pakistanis are conversant (4) 20 Range removed from the Siberian Desert (5) 21 A line to produce great pleasure (7) 22 Closely follows the advertisement displays all round (7) 23 Treated with oil derived from a seed (5)

DOWN

1 They could be the best in prayers! (13) 2 Draw comparisons with a fungoid growth, we hear (5) 3 Demosthenes holding a certain number back (4) 4 Strange padres had a grating effect (6) 5 Summed up as a tale told badly (8) 6 To stop calling - indication of broken engagement! (4,3) 7 See 12 Down. 12 and 7Dn Is assiduous and examines both sides of every jewel! (6,2,5,8) 13 Pastoral setting for a vulgar type in operatic excerpt (7) 15 See 19 Down. 18 Currently moves round one group of dilapidated buildings (5) 19 and 15Dn Conform to instructions and get ordained (4,6)

Yesterday’s solutions:

Across: 3 Saucepans. 8 Exam. 9 Racialist. 10 Themes. 11 Teach. 14 Realm. 15 Easy. 16 Sting. 18 Noel. 20 Rifle. 21 Round. 24 Affair. 25 Statement. 26 Skye. 27 Addresses.

Down: 1 Nectarine. 2 Pacemaker. 4 Alas. 5 Chile. 6 Palace. 7 Nose. 9 Reims. 11 Third. 12 Half-backs. 13 By degrees. 17 Graft. 19 Loiter. 22 Names. 23 Stud. 24 Anne.