Guardian Cryptic #28641

2021-12-30

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Across

1a

About timepull in abdomen desperately (one who's trying to look sexy?) (8,6)

8a

Girl from Welsh valley extremely down about leaving (5)

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9a

Western director screens short storynever mind (3,5)

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11a

Wish to keep going round state capital (7)

12a

Theatrical friend in hotel, having forgotten new address (7)

13a

Temper! Losing head a lot (5)

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15a

Big game reserve visited by a Member of Parliament? (5,4)

17a

Pound's poetry, one admitted, having a lot of charm, initially (9)

20a

Occupying room as on-off lodger, might you say? (5)

21a

'Excellent beer' in review for Crown and Sceptre? (7)

23a

Victory? Sore loser back in touch is claiming one(7)

25a

bloke's a show-off! Think he could be desperate (5,3)

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26a

Wife's responsibility mostly to children (5)

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27a

Feel terrificholy orders (not RC) providing a comfortable situation (3,4,2,5)

Down

1d

Do exercises in bad shape to begin withthey won't bring much joy (5,7)

2d

Romance a special one? Not half! (5)

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3d

Naive and stupid, snorting cocaine earlier (2,7)

4d

Aim to have day in American hills (7)

5d

Neither down about college failure (5-2)

6d

Liberal entering has been received toplesshe'd get an eyeful! (5)

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7d

Assume it's a 'no' for replacement gifts (9)

10d

Horny as hell, dropping spadesit maybe could lead to this (4,2,3,3)

14d

Paper on strike cutting the supply (9)

16d

Nudge when maintaining one's balance (9)

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18d

Helping one ingenue to conceal affair (2,3,2)

19d

Use up reserves of energy matingstop! (both stripped) (3,4)

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22d

Pub grub like this shouldn't be too fattening (5)

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24d

Mike's gone back in lead perhaps (5)

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