Crossword Puzzle - February 2014

Last month, this crossword was solved in two days by Denise Smith. Can you beat her? Denise, can you do it again?

So, in case you don't know how this works, here's the low-down:

1. You visit this blog some time on the last Tuesday of every month, to find the monthly crossword puzzle.
   1. If you'd rather be sure that you never miss it, you visit the Contact page and type your e-mail address into the box provided. You'll receive my newsletter as soon as the puzzle is published. In it, you'll find all sorts of information about me and my books, including a link to each month's puzzle.
2. You print out the puzzle, and solve it.
3. You send your answers to me through one of the following ways:
   1. Facebook
   2. Twitter
   3. Google Plus
4. You come back to this blog, some time on the first Tuesday of every month, to find the answers to the monthly crossword puzzle.
5. If you answered correctly, and you were the first to do so, you will see your name published. How exciting!

So, without further ado, here's the puzzle for February, 2014:

And here are your clues:

Across
1 Substitute (9)
7 What you sow (4)
8 Hangbag brand (5)
9 Mongrel (3)
10 Heritage of (6)
12 Spirit board (5)
13 Stuart (3)
14 Sex (4)
17 Get your attention (4)
20 For water or ashes (3)
21 Zuck's sister (5)
22 Dainty (6)
24 Affirmative (3)
25 OS before 7 (5)
26 Zn (4)
27 Of Deceits (9)
Down
1 Take it to the moon (9)
2 reassemble (7)
3 Colourful flowers (7)
4 German sportswear company (6)
5 2004 Miss America (6)
6 Three Kings (4)
11 Chops off (9)
15 More than just a phone (7)
16 Capital of Guizhou province (7)
18 Stabbing pain after excersise (6)
19 Manuel (6)
23 It loses in the end (4)

What are you waiting for? Get solving, and get those answers to me. I can't wait to hear from you!