Cryptic crossword

By Derek Allen

ACROSS

1 Confused going round in circles round apartment (2,1,4,4)

9 Escort's hall? (5)

10 Oriental ship (8)

12 High calling (7)

13 Result having dismissed officer and yours truly (7)

14 Pastime becomes obsessive when horse is involved (5)

15 Resolve problem – number incorrect (6,3)

18 Protagonists' hen-party? (6,3)

20 Become thinner and lighter (5)

21 Said to be placed in pipe (7)

24 Try this concoction when dry (7)

25 It cannot be seen to be slippery on the road (5,3)

26 One run over (5)

27 Be superior whilst contraption operated about half minute (11)

DOWN

2 Class for children under five in conservatory (7)

3 Loud, just terrible (9)

4 Of sound coming from first-class duo (5)

5 Second pie hesitantly taken by race official (7)

6 Insect one month in the past (5)

7 Ma? Sh! (4,3,4)

8 Angels cooked much Brie (8)

11 Nowhere near as bad (6,2,3)

16 Pass through intermediary (2-7)

17 Be hostile to it included on the other side (8)

19 Saw it wasn't covered with frozen water (7)

20 Not right – restrict another cut (7)

22 Directly opposed in very cold region (5)

23 Found inside is monotheistic ideology (5)

Tuesday's solution

Across: 3 Roman, 8 Behave, 9 Ochres, 10 Tongue, 11 Crossbar, 12 Twa, 13 Claret, 14 Pitprops, 17 Whinges, 19 Umbrage, 23 Stoppage, 27 Scanty, 20 Dot, 30 Fraction, 31 Edible, 32 Disuse, 33 Eleven, 34 Nuked.

Down: 1 Recoil, 2 Hanger-on, 3 Resettle, 4 Madcaps, 5 Not out, 6 Chaser, 7 Decamp, 13 Cowes, 15 Pub, 16 Seedy, 18 Gip, 20 Mastered, 21 Realised, 22 Redneck, 24 Turn in, 25 Pick up, 26 Arisen, 28 Tilted.