CRYP TIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Professional US magazine, highly esteemed, grew rapidly (12)

9 District gets prize, but not the

first one (4)

10 Claims of Yorkshire town in need

of hotel (9)

12 Start with nothing at home –

get equipment installed (6) 13 Reading University agent about

to spill the beans (8)

15 Criticise this set, unorthodox

believers in divine nature? (10) 16 Language to get rid of when

seen as heartless (4) 18 Uninspiring side, second to

finish (4)

20 Saint troubled when joining in religious feast, showing dislike of ceremony (10)

23 River traversed by solitary person who lives near the Thames? (8)

24 One of the unpaid trainees?

Bury has any number (6) 26 Celebrity, showing no interest,

we hear? That’s right (9)

27 Old measure established by

British inventor (4) 28 Troubled Penny toddles around, showing hope is lost? (12)

DOWN

2 What tells you to stop getting led astray – with proper protection (3,5)

3 See promotion offering lots (4) 4 I rant terribly when sat on by

police? Definitely (3,7)

5 Artist gets disease – it must be

something eaten (6)

6 Cheaper attire falling apart

after short time (7)

7 Greediest man involved in

quarrel (12) 8 Part of speech in which nothing

initially is ruled out (6)

11 Army capturing Greek character

with 21 suffering put in 9? (12) 14 Tiny worker, one going round in

circles (6,4)

17 Cold girl – one starts to beguile all lovers as maneater (8)

19 Servants providing repasts

around Belfast etc. (7)

21 More than one model is

accepting contract (6) 22 Volume repeatedly deficient?

That’s a mistake (6)

25 Deity offering bold sign oddly

missed (4)