CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 One caught intercepting award

for examination (7)

5 Fish container I note flipped

over (7)

9 Small beside six-footer, a

delivery-man (5)

10 Set up company with new

person (9)

11 Gave written consent in bank

with defeatist manner (10) 12 Lie back with fine punch (4) 14 Naturalist close to Greta

Thunberg too nervous (12) 18 Shell from Costa Rica, ordinary to ignore in sightseer’s drawer (12)

21 Card player’s net assets

oddly going missing (4) 22 Trustworthy, senior to

directors (5-5)

25 Turning over headwear before

measuring (9)

26 Call up the night before to gain

permission (5)

27 Tongue brought back to prepare oneself with meal (7)

28 Constant fiddling with lenses

worn by daughter (7)

DOWN

1 Suffering long way on south

eastern railway (6)

2 Diamonds disappear, five removed from German neighbour (6)

3 No good in breaking each nail –

try another way (6,4)

4 Money making constant part of

temptation (5)

5 Part of cycle lane, hard ground

comprising bitumen, primarily (9) 6 Set learner with support (4) 7 Some layabout I question to find

shop (8)

8 Parts of newspaper in Welsh

decoded after time (8) 13 Cold gent upset with penny lolly

in cracker (10)

15 Make attempt to tuck into chutney after top’s removed (9)

16 Shrill South American native starts to call help, yelling (8) 17 Temporary accommodation had

scrap strewn about (8) 19 Sweet-talk head of casting over

a part – Juliet, not Romeo (6) 20 Reptiles they don’t take

away (6)

23 The latest coming up: European

Union and government (5) 24 Antipodean island small, it’s

said (4)