CRYPTIC CROSSWORD
ACROSS
1 Gallery ordered to include old picture with a moral (8) 5 Give up king captured by enemy, then leave (6) 9 Home Counties case is having a calming effect (8) 10 Respect notice approaching Slough (6) 12 Smallest member of family somewhat disgruntled (4) 13 Protective garment is blue or it needs altering (6,4) 15 Crick’s annoying person (4,2,3,4) 19 Somehow grip nail with prong, holding device (9,4) 23 Fresh water-carrier covers top-class tender plants here (10) 25 Element found in quartz in conglomerate (4) 28 They’re egg-shaped, very big, hiding gap (6) 29 A real pit after surgery to do with wall in body cavity (8) 30 Explosive device crudely taped over back of door (6) 31 Decisive blow for elimination contest (8)
DOWN
1 Declare property occupied by Republican (6) 2 Left a study loaded (5) 3 Label stuck up on eastern entrance (4) 4 Pasta recipe, the fifth to be covered in garlic mayonnaise (7) 6 Command sequence (5) 7 European timeless portrait: ‘A Northern Libertine’ (9) 8 Pass Victor stuck in gnarled oak tree (8) 11 Mark, drunk, doesn’t have to (4) 14 A peculiarity of speech is featured in record (4) 15 Exhausted platoon leader floored, so I hear (6,3) 16 Sister’s notes about uniform (3) 17 Peer not quite ahead of schedule (4) 18 Cohort mature and grow up losing weight (3,5) 20 Confirmation of vows at altar before large icon (4) 21 Power supplier’s good, like the sea (3,4) 22 Form southern sect seizing power (6) 24 Lowest point of dinar after conversion (5) 26 Leading bars keen to import first of rioja (5) 27 Record find? Not half! (4)