CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

Admit home help for puzzle 5 1 solvers will get 500 entering (7) Flower requiring small spades digging in to come out (7) 9 After large glass, regular’s making unfair demands on women? (6,9)

10 Place and time for strike on course (4)

11 Goes to sea, with trouble getting in ship (5)

12 In error, learner’s missed recess (4)

15 Tail girl? On the contrary, he’s a responsible lad (4,3) 16 Well-formed plays he gets rewritten (7)

17 Taking part out of sentiment, ice dancer was alluring (7)

19 I must get in lift up that’s broken down — it’s pathetic (7) 21 My independent state (1,3) 22 Heath perhaps follows account that’s appeared in 26? (5) 23 What cocks did that cox won’t do? (4) 26 Character shown by rugby participating Lions maybe? That’s a charade (4-7,4) 27 Political doldrums?

It’s where PM’S placed by gossip-monger (7)

28 If not dry, accommodating husband should meet that woman (7)

DOWN

1 Pint he’d drunk at length (2,5)

2 Yard man died covering up botched trial prosecuted by Army? (5-10) 3 Ignore odd bits of dung and clay being unsightly (4) 4 Cold stone etched in simple pleasure (7) 5 Hounds black and golden birds? (7) 6 Chances these will never be less than evens (4) 7 Broke and beaten, professionally (8,3,4) 8 Command, apparently like some schoolteachers (7) 13 One’s shocked when one’s taken this (5) 14 Drink’s unpunctual, with limited temperature (5) 17 Saw two farm animals after 4, in short (7)

18 Rant of the French about Conservative

I am following (7) 19 Vicar: ‘One must sit in seat in church and look ahead’ (7) 20 Sound of animal rage — in frenzy, this drives one uphill (3,4) 24 Eastern European adopting exercises that can be used in personal combat (4) 25 Beastly person, so contrary (4)