Across
A) Characters in a Greek wager (8)
B) Pub ban for Ian the un-Greek (9)
C) Pamper, hug almost (6)
D) Down with the rain (5)
E) Half-seen by weary whole (6)
F) Herd of bird (5)
G) Gel ends irritation and hiccup (6)
H) Suggested greeting new to Ed (6)
I) Dark marks on satin skin? (9)
J) Unfavourable turn in first month, on day one, then turn in last month (9)
K) Type of stone pit, used for surgery (7)
L) Master bishop in the House (4)
M) Make plan of tube to African capital (6)
N) Interest in second-rate movies in river setting (6)
O) Circular hearth in Dutch house (6)
P) Pug dog to keep under control (4)
Q) Year after queen starts with king? (5)
R) Right to blame funny walk (6)
S) Prevent air reaching horse's knee (6)
T) Passing trains might be first of twenty (6)
U) Secret negative Gerd showed round (11)
V) From here, you can see 'opinion' change to 'pin' (9)
W) Bland product to fortify report (9)
X) King cross, queen cross, escort guillotined (6)
Y) Supplier of bows to the three of you? (3,4)
Z) Last one in this part (4)
Down
A) Discharge a Catholic (3)
1) Stuff weed in field (7)
2) Line for royal tipple (4)
3) Time one pulse, going with the flow (5)
B) Leaf or branch with dramatic appearance (5)
4) Farm worker competed to get child king's signature (5,4)
5) Alpha male loses head over Prince Henry (5)
6) Like first person at capitals of India, China, Tibet, for example (7)
7) Booze for bees? (4)
F) Film with light touch (5)
G) Lead death: a type of missile (6)
8) Island lane in ruins, demolished (7)
9) Type of corn found east and west (6)
10) Goblin to overturn the old cart (7)
11) Where bishop rules and rolls, dices with ring, takes drug (7)
12) Bad boy (3)
13) Festered in foul lederhosen, cut short (7)
14) American eagle to begin exercise (3)
15) Vowel money (3)
16) Corrode with worry (4)
17) Cause trouble for heartless turnips? (4,2)
Q) Leaf out of catalogue? (3)
18) Destroy old coin inserted earlier (5)
19) Policeman riding high for the moment, and free (7)
20) Sounds like pipe virus (3)
21) Screen girl upset by file cutting (6)
22) Chains for clubs (5)
23) Small cod or rod, up in London area (5)
V) Tease Victoria no more (3)
24) Shine like the moon (3)
W) In the west it makes sense (3)
25) Professional contract favoured (3)
The words used can be found in standard references. The solution is available on request.
Chris Benn crb@ing.iac.es
22 Jan 2003