CRYPTIC/QUICK CROSSWORD
NO.549
Here’s your chance to win a Collins Concise English Dictionary. Complete the crossword using either the cryptic or the quick clues and send it to us with your name and address. Send your solution to: Cryptic/Quick Crossword No. 549, The Irish Mail on Sunday, PO Box 5332, Cardiff Lane, Dublin 2. Entries must be received by Thursday. The winner will be drawn from a hat. The winner of Cryptic/Quick Crossword No. 548 is Patrick Galvin, Maynooth, Co. Kildare.
CRYPTIC CLUES
ACROSS 8 Old Frenchman in nice change in salary (6) 9 Instrument seen in wine outside (8) 10 About to honour show-off such as Wagner (8) 11 Terrible din by Scot and Asian (6) 12 Award given for being lamed, sadly (5) 13 Yield a plant ovule, we hear (4) 14 Set plan around current location (4) 16 Lad free to run from central government (7) 18 Manage to stop being loyal (7) 20 Loud part of the play, that’s true (4) 21 Implement for returning stolen goods (4) 22 A portal made of very hard stone (5) 25 Shout for some wood (6) 27 Hunter sent padre out to hill (8) 28 Firm put rose design on stringed instrument (8) 29 Greek form of trance (6) DOWN 1 Poles slide slowly into sleep (6) 2 Smug, firm politician gets material on book (10) 3 Stunt includes small and large meal (5) 4 Mark to allow a vivid shade (7) 5 Obvious old statement from politicians (9) 6 Turn a handle and gain a daughter (4) 7 Inept cad turned out to be academic (8) 14 Unripe food displayed by bad loser (4,6) 15 Tiny organism formed a cute brim (9) 17 Test setter, formerly a collier (8) 19 Mental fixation is difficult to understand (7) 23 21 gets a kiss below the neck (6) 24 Magistrates find somewhere to sit (5) 26 Key auction item is a disgrace (4)
THE PAGE’S QUICK CLUES
ACROSS 8 Money earned (6) 9 Woodwind instrument (8) 10 Writer of music (8) 11 Asian (6) 12 Small metal award (5) 13 Surrender (4) 14 Venue (4) 16 System of government (7) 18 Faithful (7) 20 Piece of information (4) 21 Hammer, for example (4) 22 Stone used in jewellery (5) 25 Building material (6) 27 Animal that eats other animals (8) 28 Determined (8) 29 Mediterranean islander (6) DOWN 1 Short sleep (6) 2 Self-satisfied (10) 3 Banquet (5) 4 Shade of red (7) 5 Policy statement (9) 6 Current of air (4) 7 Hairsplitting (8) 14 Affected dislike (4,6) 15 Disease-causing organism (9) 17 Investigator (8) 19 Involved (7) 23 Central part of an insect (6) 24 Long seat (5) 26 Stain (4)