CROSSWORD No 1,611

TO ENTER Complete the crossword and count how many times the letter ‘X’ appears in the grid. Post your entry to YOU Crossword No 1,611, PO Box 5332, Cardiff Lane, Dublin 2. Closing date is Friday, September 21. One random winner from all correct entries will win €75. The winner will be notified within 14 days. Solution in two weeks.

ACROSS

1 Renewal of an interest or feeling (11)

7 Fluid in plant stems (3) 9 Skirt fold (5) 10 (and 27 across) British rock band formed in 1967 and named after the drummer and bassist (9,3)

11 Song written by 21, 26 across and a hit for 10, 27 across (8)

12 Latest version (6) 14 Napkin (9) 15 Pondered (5) 17 Male duck (5) 19 Thin sound quality (9)

21 (and 26 across) American singer who joined 10, 27 across in 1974 (6,5)

23 Troublemaker, rabble-rouser (8)

25 Principle, theory (9) 26 See 21 across 27 See 10 across 28 Mistakes made by speakers in which the first sounds of two words are changed over (11)

DOWN

1 Reworded, put it differently (9)

2 Artist’s studio or workshop (7)

3 Vigilant, concentrating (9)

4 Insolence, presumption (10) 5 Detail, note (4) 6 Arise (3,2) 7 Campaign poster phrases (7)

8 Military chaplain (5)

13 English guitarist who co-founded 10, 27 across (5,5)

15 Wetting device (9)

16 Doubts, suspects (9)

18 Free from germs or putrefaction (7)

20 Lures, attracts (7)

21 Rugby formation (5)

22 Computer desktop images (5)

24 A guitar key-changing accessory (4)