WIN €100 WITH IRISH MAIL ON SUNDAY CROSSWORD No 999

A prize of €100 will be awarded to the sender of the first correct solution drawn from a hat Entries must be received by Thursday, December 1, at Prize Crossword No 999, Irish Mail on Sunday, Embassy House, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, enclosing your name and address. The winner of Crossword No 998 is: Ms. P Hagan, Arklow, Co. Wicklow.

ACROSS

1. Recovery, increase (11) 10+8 Down. What 999 reaches? (9,8) 11. England’s third longest river (5) 12. Prickly-leaved plant has allure, I fancy! (7) 13. Entrance, appearance (7) 14. One of 10+8 (10) 16. One uncritically admired (4) 18. Stake, letters & position (4) 19. One entering another’s property illegally (10) 24. Space on a plane or in a car, say (7) 25. Device, tool (7) 27. A plant often used as a culinary garnish (5) 28. One of 10+8 (9) 29. One of 10+8 (4,7)

DOWN

2. Ancient western Queen (5) 3. Administer, oversee (8) 4. Island nation formerly known as the New Hebrides (7) 5. Fashionable area of central London (7) 6. One authorized to draw up contracts, deeds, etc. (6) 7. Relating to the decimal system of measurement (6) 8. See 10 Across. 9. Swiped, pinched (6) 15. Designated, allotted (8) 17. Saturate, flood (8) 18. One of 10+8 (6) 20. Run amok, storm (7) 21. Sleep lightly (7) 22. Assistance, support (6) 23. A dwarf tree growing in a pot (6) 26. Ecclesiastical council (5)