CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1. Praise bestowed on double-backing in the pit (7)

6. Fibre provider is found in endless salt (5)

9. Whiskey a short shared with the Inland Revenue? (5)

10. It’s a miracle if one can get it back! (7)

11. Made it easier to be lit? (5)

12. She’s not much on top — or has she? (5)

13. Fitted by 18, it’s more adaptable (7) 15. He depends on following a small car (6)

16. Russian dome twice gets on with one interposed (5)

18. No entry in ‘X’ is counterpart to 13 (5)

20. Ray here’s the third letter from Athens! (5)

21. State of racecourse in process of departure (5) 22. Point finger at copper in case that’s not straightforward (6) 25. Intertwined with Brussels, in the end! (7) 26. Away to get a lettuce-head — and liver, etc, from butcher’s (5)

27. In iron, fifty-one right for one up in the air? (5)

28. Part of fire (or air, earth or water?) (7) 29. On fingers and toes, things to be hard as? (5)

30. Foundation for singer holding one (5) 31. Ana in gassy form (7)

DOWN

1. A case of making one word do for two? (11)

2. Bill has a line in agreement (6) 3. How one might portray oneself as a devil, and not be so extravagant! (4,2,4,5)

4. Bet I’m wrong to encircle the woodwork (9)

5. Like gauze, like a cloud — or like moving pictures? (5)

6. Where the target might be filming the gods? (8-7)

7. Arm us with oil, perhaps, when basking here? (8)

8. Cover I’d got after April 5th (3)

14. Dined but, surrounded by sick people, renders it of no effect (11)

17. Silent negative is useless if not American (9)

19. Agreeable neckwear observed by the socially correct (8)

23. Between Poles, Indian to put on TV? (6) 24. Attach fax, if confused about it (5) 27. Lie a little like half a leg-bone (3)