Thursday 7 May

Across

7 Edges of empire sacked by Egypt’s last queen (9) 8 Told ally to lose three pounds before tomorrow (5) 9 Bring this novel for Leo, perhaps (5,4) 10 Reportedly failing, fell (5) 12 Some thoughts on Gabonese Bantu language (6) 13 Always, come rain or shine, tongue in cheek? (8) 14 In bits, heads to America (see below) (7) 17 Earliest of begonias continued blooming (7) 20 Free money for Americans, with short notice (8) 22 Goes off round centre of Damascus and swelters (6) 24 Delicate international agent put on weight (5) 25 Exciting yet gloomy study of roots (9) 26 Brief question for bachelor in automobile (5) 27 Oblique signal in setter’s work (9)

Down

1 Einstein retrospectively taking legal action over equation’s origin (6) 2 Lustrous, wingless bug (6,2) 3 Parched after cycling in area south of Suez (3,3) 4 Loose gravel’s slippery stuff (7) 5 See you doffing cap a lot (6) 6 Fossil fuel left dons suffering agonies (8) 11 Offer and appraisal both turned out to be unwritten (4) 15 False promise goads nurses (8) 16 Authentic beach huts oddly disappearing (4) 18 Buys barrier to stop litter droppers (8) 19 Familiar with your sib’s butt trouble (7) 21 Roger backing strike for change in Russia (6) 22 Lacking vigour in harem is shameful (6) 23 Chasing game, regularly dispatching zebras and big cats (6)