CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

Big stores avoid these teams’ gifts, I hear (4,7) 9 Toastie’s underdone portion (7) 10 One rascal spikes very old uneven pitch (7) 11 Leaderless Republic’s fury (3) 12 Collapse if a rule’s broken (7) 13 Repeat request for wind instrument college lost (7) 14 I’ve no time for that party excluding son (3) 15 Big bird eaten by another one (5) 17 Prominent old newspaper found in empty lorry (5) 18 Originally Manchester United footballers trained in civvies (5) 20 Iron papers (5) 22 A feature of Arctic everywhere (3) 24 Old jailer and knight tucked into Christmas fare (7) 25 Schoolmaster’s longing to fit in short term (7) 26 Mark loves farm sound (3) 27 What acrobats use, some flipping with ease, it’s said (7) 28 Wife and I had gone off duck (7) 29 Damaging strike by big port (American) (11)

DOWN

1 Where do serious hospital cases go? That’s easy (15) 2 Emerge from pit, taking a turn that hurts (7) 3 Parody excludes radical French composer (5) 4 Think highly of rector always in Parisian church (9) 5 Mobile banjaxed crossing river and mire (7) 6 Reserve stall of seafood? That’s beside the point (5-10) 7 Lead round judge initially admiring cheap building (6) 8 Cheer old soldiers during country dance (6) 16 Harry may regret securing compensation (9) 18 Couple touring Utah change (6) 19 Writer used to dip into this at home, sounding put out (7) 21 Child pinches a medal,

the brat! (2-3-2) 23 Go wrong with short

delivery, say (6) 25 Device used to pull

loom? (5)