THE CROSSWORD

CRYPTIC CLUES

ACROSS

1 One in favour of half-day closing (6)

4 Man of letters? (8)

9 An adviser makes nothing clear in chaos (6)

10 In truth it is a current job in the church (8)

12 Lord, look at him (4)

13 Born after Victoria, true (5)

14 Ingenious reduction to a single point (4)

17 What a bad summer will do? (12)

20 Having left the army, is not working (3,2,7)

23 Round-backed beast? Certainly (4)

24 Yet it could be tart (5)

25 Effrontery more than cheek (4)

28 Comic opera short of a diva excessively rewarded (8)

29 Severe constriction at the centre (6)

30 He writes articles about drink (8)

31 Extremely ragged (6)

DOWN

1 Downtrodden it leads to inflation (4,4)

2 Could be nine seas in tumult (2,1,5)

3 African currency Neil converted (4)

5 Performed with a high degree of skill (12)

6 It takes a lot of beating (4)

7 Pop a question that’s somewhat obscure (6)

8 This poet makes uninteresting study (6)

11 A choice of coffee (5,2,5)

15 Human being upset prophet (5)

16 Begin to show surprise (5)

18 It’s your go (8)

19 A number expelled are downcast (8)

21 Slightly exaggerate an account and blush (6)

22 C t ith ti ? (4 2)