The Lord of the Rings No. 1 — cryptic crossword

A themed (The Lord of the Rings) standard puzzle: 27 clues on a 11×11 grid. Solve it online — check your answers as you go, ask for a hint, and read how each clue works once it is solved.

Across

1. Comic Brooks has energy in small measure (3)
3. Wizard held by Viking and Alfred (7)
7. Pins down new troubles (5)
9. Gangster's girl with yen for tropical fish (5)
10. Recovery programme has her backing a sailor (5)
11. Parties knocked back a mixer (4)
12. Surprisingly, ye won, shieldmaiden of Rohan (5)
14. Sting is well turned out (5)
16. Restless urge to meet the unknown (5)
18. Labels these antique garden statues to begin with (4)
20. Cautious king is less vulnerable (5)
22. I dine out on alternative music (5)
23. Abstainers retain memory of bouquet (5)
24. Cutting pain comes with raging flu (7)
25. Treebeard, perhaps, sent son away (3)

Down

1. Gondor's capital, where this martini is shaken (5,6)
2. Scottish landowner left a tune to daughter (5)
3. Crikey! Ego shattered, in part (4)
4. Song with less feeling (6)
5. Let a learner down (5)
6. Female prone to jump gets an early advantage (6,5)
8. Crumbling shale yields lead (5)
13. Swimmer warmer in the East End (5)
15. Blimey, small pixie? That's me! (6)
17. Cried wildly for a drink (5)
19. Came up with a bloom (5)
21. Drop in American season (4)

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