Scotland on Sunday crossword 17/06/12

Across

1 The best directors don’t take port! (9)

8 She adopts novel diet before start of Halloween (5)

9 Where to find you and I returning with loud people (7)

11 Busy man goes to court in city, originally (6)

12 Vegetables linked to worker in the country (7)

13 Doddie has trouble with barbed wire (4)

14 Choose to have no physical education? (3)

17 The Spanish absorb England’s prime swimmer (3)

18 Author’s expectation (4)

21 The female gains a lick – of Nottingham, possibly (7)

23 The prize gained for sending back an artist (6)

24 Getting wet somewhere in the West Country – in Greece? (7)

25 In Paris, you left the fabric (5)

26 Tear apart dismal 10, perhaps (9)

Down

2 A chance for peace, but talks regressed under central European leaders (5)

3 Decline to give whistle-blower employment (6)

4 Artist retreats with Kirov’s capital vessel (3)

5 Removes permission in banker’s embrace (7)

6 Film, popularly, of old Scot and the midge, so to speak (7)

7 & 15 Down London’s novel with primitive appeal? (3,4,2,3,4)

10 Bird loses bright light in the heather (4)

12 In favour of Republican in part of America, no longer standing (9)

15 See 7 Down

16 Wore cricket, for instance, with top journalist (7)

19 The girl has two articles (4)

20 Old city feature might be sea (6)

22 Last to be popular amidst river (5)

24 A vehicle has to come back in submarine attack (3)

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION

Across 1, Politburo. 8, Berth. 9, Reardon. 11, See 25 Across. 12, Canavan. 13, Isle. 14, Inn. 17, Rut. 18, Ugly. 21, Stand-in. 23, Tables. 24, Statute. 25 & 11 Across, World-beater. 26, Eiderdown.

Down 2, Omega. 3, Inroad. 4, Urn. 5, Obverse. 6, Brother. 7, Charlatan. 10, Opal. 12, Chinatown. 15, Numbers. 16, Allende. 19, Stet. 20. United. 22, In tow. 24, Sad.