THE ORIGINAL SOUTH AFRICAN CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

Across

1 Lash out after ultimate slander

to blacken snake (8) 5 Mindless, endless dispute

about ... (6)

9 ... rebel Jagger’s State Capture

(8)

10 Staggers when going around

labyrinth (6)

11 Smells of illegal service? (8) 12 Stick to business at present

(6)

14 Final ‘Eggs’ document

legalises layers (10)

18 At last, Plett wanderer returns — the old ship captain — to become TV presenter (6,4) 22 Label in city coat (6)

23 It brought down spirits and

angered me ... and rep (8) 24 Panacea for team, right after

devastating lie (6)

25 Keep quiet but bring feathers

(4,4)

26 Fleet improvisation of a drama

(6)

27 Identity of druggie? (8) Down

1 We drink quietly before row (6) 2 State of woman and changing

environment (6)

3 City hotel area is exceptional (6) 4 Mesh-work assessment is

cutting (10)

6 President takes a bow for

producing local tree (8)

7 Food joint offers sleep-in pie

with air-con (8)

8 Initially doubt one’s writers to

effect first issue (8)

13 Nuts work to aid Mama Cas

(10)

15 Brew tea to contain Crete

unrest ... and so on (2,6)

16 I hesitate, after resolving

anger, to offer flower (8) 17 “Parrot for nothing” flyer (8) 19 Enter pop-up software for

(6)

20 Swop sides in Southern

African country to get goat (6) 21 Love sweep of river (6)