CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

5 Bikes in next to no time sped furiously (6)

8 Secret English drunkard, top woman in charge (8)

9 Old TV comic Phil gets more than one second prize (7)

10 Stay for a while in porter’s house? (5)

11 Old boy in state that’s unstable and unlikely to change (9)

13 Star writer with story about origin of cricket (8)

14 Animal that surprises me has rushed around (6)

17 Method of payment on doorstep for fish (3)

19 Information supplied by agent (3)

20 Fairy in a Shakespeare play, fine material (6)

23 Like many a Catholic priest in church, albeit naughty (8)

26 One has unexpected closeness, no win ultimately, having two sides equal (9)

28 Problem for film director (5)

29 Female dumping male by street, I have to be merry (7)

30 Vehicle taking Laurel and Bob maybe (8)

31 Type of moneylender certain to be found in old city (6)

DOWN

1 Winning easily, start to grow more intense (4,2)

2 In France good noise comes with good rapport (7)

3 Loss of employment is hard — party must be held (9)

4 Greek character has briefly purloined weapon (6)

5 Dampness damaged tourism — last thing Margate needs (8)

6 Dance has the old man taking front position (5)

7 I do a turn, being funny for a time (8)

12 Bill’s little companion in Scottish mountain (3) 15 Opposing inauthentic sort of singing in church (9)

16 Vessels — they glide along? (8)

18 Spectator as a weekly publication (8)

21 One watches, missing odd bits (3)

22 Loud goings-on in party (7)

24 Everything one has in car (6)

25 Making appearance outside house, city journalist returned (6)

27 Mythical being, after last day of week, starts to yawn and relax (5)