Double Crossword

Cryptic puzzle

Across

3. Ravage - ravage tag to make worse (9)

8. A street is not home (4)

9. Hopeless rape-seed crop - about time! (9)

10. Miserable organ in arid surroundings (6)

11. Pin-point first creeper (5)

14. Alternative creeper round tusk material (5)

15. This title could mean different (4)

16. Brush is another sort of plant (5)

18. Tea’s from this direction (4)

20. Took horse round horse-show (5)

21. Deserved to have a rent re-assessed (5)

24. Six of one and half-a-dozen of the other (6)

25. River insects given to fellow found in station (9)

26. Border of a united Germany (4)

27. Out of prison, Bert is in Italy, perhaps (2,7)

Down

1. Bad luck to get difficult school punishment (4,5)

2. Chores are arranged for backed runner (9)

4. Black-and-white coloured (4)

5. Rhode Island writer to become mature (5)

6. Marines in bloody vessel are obnoxious creatures (6)

7. Thank-you note given to gallery (4)

9. Carts moving around yards (5)

11. Flaunt a prop (5)

12. Country supported by rule gets many votes (9)

13. Soldier, having insurance, got better (9)

17. Colour that railways have rights to (5)

19. Thai misdirected it returning to island (6)

22. Pleasant about Eastern relative (5)

23. Proceed at an animal (4)

24. Upstarts cleverly concealing pie (4)

Quick puzzle

Across

3. Sue (9)

8. Close (4)

9. Size (9)

10. Destroyed (6)

11. Precipitous (5)

14. Coldness (5)

15. Roman garment (4)

16. Shinbone (5)

18. Bitter (4)

20. Legal (5)

21. Matching set (5)

24. Madhouse (6)

25. Preying (9)

26. Stable (4)

27. Fun (9)

Down

1. Boycott (9)

2. Prudent (9)

4. Foray (4)

5. Fragrance (5)

6. Pamper (6)

7. Implement (4)

9. Traded (5)

11. Valuable fur (5)

12. China (9)

13. Christmas show (9)

17. Passage (5)

19. Helm (6)

22. Tribal emblem (5)

23. Loyal (4)

24. Grain husks (4)

Tuesday’s solutions

CRYPTIC

Across: 1 Boss; 3 Mandolin; 8 Oars; 9 Freshman; 11 Lake Superior; 13 Mishap; 14 Eyelet; 17 Refrigerator; 20 Tag along; 21 Sufi; 22 Horseman; 23 Berg.

Down: 1 Blowlamp; 2 Strokes; 4 Abrupt 5 Destroyers; 6 Limbo; 7 Nine; 10 Espadrille; 12 Starling; 15 Lettuce; 16 Agenda; 18 Elgar; 19 Itch.

QUICK

Across: 1 Vain; 3 Conflict; 8 Luck; 9 Stealing; 11 Disadvantage; 13 Torpid; 14 Arbour; 17 Disingenuous; 20 Engender; 21 Join; 22 Peerless; 23 Isle.

Down: 1 Validate; 2 Incisor; 4 Outlaw; 5 Flattering; 6 Icing; 7 Toga; 10 Additional; 12 Presence; 15 Odorous; 16 Egress; 18 Ingle; 19 Heap.