Thursday 25 June

Across

1 Disappearance of Ganymede, say, short time before dawn (7) 5 Lighter article from France entered into poetry competition by Penny (3-4) 9 Colour I observed in ring given a twirl (5) 10 Black then beat blue fluid for drink (6,3) 11 Wow, the snuff taker has snuffed it! (10) 12 Musical symbol split, briefly (4) 14 Anything but a high-flier for the guillotine, did you say? (11) 18 First of musicians in parish goes crazy, shaking recorder (11) 21 Turning left, notices a superstore (4) 22 Obscene gesture keeps quiet doctor in the gutter? (10) 25 Bother, it having impeded vehicle – search for diversion? (9) 27 Red, pace ahead of blue (7) 28 Case on driveway packed into car, end of holiday celebration in March (4,3)

Down

1 Beer swilling if not noble (6) 2 Plants kiss where kiss planted, love coming first (6) 3 Diabolical demon chose the other place? (6,4) 4 Italian flower again chewed up? (5) 5 A grub seen wriggling in biology classes (9) 6 Empty pan? You fill vessel, finally (4) 7 Resident of nest, fly off graceful animal (8) 8/26 Villains waiting to board train, perhaps, in ‘70s attire (8,5) 13 Big jobs for a reporter journalist sniffed at (4-6) 15 Big noise as good egg splits log (9) 16 Slow mover races off before caught (8) 17 Lentils and duck in red or white dish that’s hot (8) 19 You’re on peak of Annapurna, asking for a lot (6) 20 Worthless wood fills crack (6) 23 Accommodation in which weed and grass picked up? (5) 24 Beer bringing hiccup from below (4)