Factfinder’s crossword - The Scotsman 04/02/2012

ACROSS

1 Edinburgh-born soldier (1861-1928), who founded the British Legion in 1921 (7,4)

9 Harold __ (b 1928), Manchester-born journalist who edited the Sunday Times (1967-81) (5)

10 Related to a soil or other deposit formed in situ by weathering (8)

12 An instrument of thought, especially a means of reasoning or a system of logic (7)

13 Ruined Borders abbey, founded in 1136 (7)

14 A province in northern Iran (5,422 sq miles; pop about 2.5 million), on the Caspian Sea (5)

15 Spaced out formation for drill etc (4,5)

18 A harmless American serpent with a yellow collar (4-5)

20 Moist, damp or rather wet (5)

21 A common European bunting (7)

24 Yuri __ (1934-68), Soviet cosmonaut who was the first man to travel in space (7)

25 One after another (8)

26 Poet and playwright (1898-1936) who was assassinated during the Spanish Civil War (5)

27 Practice of aggressive or warlike policy, especially in foreign affairs (11)

DOWN

2 A constituent of blood serum which makes bacteria more rapidly consumed by phagosytes (7)

3 A branched chandelier or similar structure (9)

4 Indian state (30,673 sq miles; pop about 25 million), noted for its tea plantations (5)

5 A Spanish nobleman of the lowest rank (7)

6 US state (83,564 sq miles), also known as the Panhandle State (5)

7 Naturalist and author (1886-1977), who wrote The Golden Eagle, King of Birds (1956) (5,6)

8 The scaly anteater (8)

11 Lawyer and politician (1742-1811), who was Lord Advocate (1775-83) (5,6)

16 One believed to be possessed by the devil (9)

17 Brown sugar in large crystals, or a type of rum (8)

19 Borders town where Sir Walter Scott was sheriff (1799-1832) (7)

20 Cuts unskilfully, or mangles (7)

22 A sheath, sack or sac (5)

23 The south or south-west wind (5)

Last week’s solution:

Across: 1 Britannia metal, 9 Trochee, 10 Trestle, 11 Lithoclast, 12 Fish, 14 Ossian, 15 Galangal, 17 Partisan, 19 Petrel, 22 Naga, 23 Stranonium, 25 Iridial, 26 Tritone, 27 Geiger counter.

Down: 1 Battle of Pinkie, 2 Isoetes, 3 Achromatic, 4 Needle, 5 Artesian, 6 Eden, 7 Althing, 8 Keyhole-limpets, 13 Macedonian, 16 Batteler, 18 Ragtime, 20 Rhizome, 21 Castro, 24 Ming.