1 King of Babylon’s lost his hair, one read in article (7)
5 In Rome they said he loves one particular fiddle (5)
9 Our poor record in exercises either side of opening event… (8)
10 …fast time then gets subbed? (4)
11 Setbacks mean tears (5)
12 The average hospital’s air raid patrol is built in to stream through Damascus (7)
14 Pass on, not seeing one painting without a river (6)
16 Exist well: it’s about eating fruit (6)
18 Judge a Benjaminite leader (7)
20 What 17 may speak, one sees originally with fliers all sent around (5)
23 British blood is spilt here in the Caucasus (4)
24 Lot of Esau’s time does fly (8)
25 Nag Worcestershire for misusing empty recycled rectories (5)
26 Hoffman dude’s weather report for Manchester? (4,3)
Cryptic down
2 He abstained, Reagan’s little famous brother (5)
3 He wrote in Latin asking for mercy, full of grief, almost distraught (7)
4 Fleece vessel after heading off goods (4)
6 Caps on many others left affected rear tooth (5)
7 Bible chap’s boy keeled over in the river (7)
8 Nice good guy’s quietly over the top: David’s capital (7)
13 Judge’s hotline is scrambled (7)
15 Record one Welshman on hearing grave last words (7)
17 Middle-Easterner – Gershwin’s gran took one in… (7)
19 …for music, exercise and study, in essence, between double English (5)
21 One of a family of 18, girl, gets a degree (5)
22 Ascetic Hindu discipline in the past is on the rise after years (4)
Quick across
1 Kitchen utensil: broad flat blade (7)
5 Hindu social division (5)
9 Manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles as represented by the Magi (8)
10 West African state, formerly German (4)
11 Bob (—–) Thomas: connect! (5)
12 Priest and grandson of Aaron (7)
14 Full of or showing high-spirited merriment (6)
16 Egg on (6)
18 Waters of ——-, where the Israelites quarrelled with God (7)
20 —– Motel, location for Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960) (5)
23 Pottery: Hertfordshire town (4)
24 One of the Twelve Tribes (8)
25 Spanish town, the home of sherry (5)
26 Proportionately (3,4)
Quick down
2 Showy flowering plant, a source of important drugs (5)
3 Former Ottoman palace in Istanbul (7)
4 Sir David —-, director of epic films, eg The Bridge on the River Kwai; Lawrence of Arabia (4)
6 Villa in Birmingham? (5)
7 Scottish TV detective series (1982-2010) (7)
8 Infectious enteric fever from a form of salmonella ingested with food or water (7)
13 Master of Hezekiah’s palace (7)
15 Handle (eg, machinery) (7)
17 English poet (1340-1400) (7)
19 Val d’—–, popular French ski resort (5)
21 Elevate, venerate (5)
22 Imperial title developed from ‘Caesar’ (4)
Winners (0530 Cryptic): Dr Gregory Porilo, London SW17; Marie Drake, Chorley, Lancashire. Winners (0530 Quick): TJ Monaghan, Newton Mearns, Glasgow; MÓ Miatháin, Cork, Republic of Ireland.
Sudoku 0532
Solution 0531
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