GUARDIAN CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Snakes will increase, not decrease, say leaders (5)

4 Support doctor inhaling O2 as a way out (4,4)

8 The art of home improvement? Si! (8,6)

10 Shape of unloaded trailer, one thrown into fire (8)

11 100 + 0 over 10, right? I’m licked (6) 12 One working out cries uncontrollably after river run (9)

15 Old cave unearthed by instant replay (5)

17 Teacher to express displeasure with men (5)

18 It joins any pets, if playful (6,3) 19 District gets hard capital upfront (6) 21 Console warrior online using this? (8)

24 After comic opera, villager embraces hot bird (6,8)

25 Reptiles get bad press biting man’s head off (8)

26 Criminal nears noose (5)

DOWN

1 Card game the French see making a comeback in campaigning politician’s itinerary (7-5)

2 Food fan: I’m tucking into split (9)

3 Femme fatale keeps heads of idiotic rich earls in tin (5) 4 Injured boss I’m carrying up

mountain as living material (9) 5 Finale where nothing divides

100,500 by 1 (4)

6 Clashing and not crashing around space station (9) 7 Newspaper boy from Wales is unmarried (5)

9 Holy lady gets rescue dog right away

— better when undressed? (2,10) 13 Vehicle has trouble in road reversing

and parking? Cheat! (4-5)

14 Royal breaking free — she initially

sprints, then jogs (9)

16 Star who’s the pick of the bunch? (3,6)

20 Lift beams, say (5)

22 Britain’s behind in US money (5) 23 Hard growth is essentially difficult (4)