CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS 1. Sort of money that’s on the cards? (7)

5. Previous spouse pretended to have laid one bare (7) 9. Alien might possibly ignore fire without one (9) 10. What’s marked in wood could be corn (5)

11. Some words strung together might send one down (8) 12. Past, like one of the things to let be themselves (6) 14. Efficient way to take part, not without heart (9) 16. Witty sort of salt beneath the roof (5)

17. Fit one out with energy and a clever remark (5) 19. Write ‘Sex Appeal’ on the blackboard? Put it on the slate! (5,2,2)

21. Take the chair, lose head, but stay there (6)

22. Bomb factory and what do you get? Aubergine! (3-5) 26. Old enough to order for all guests eating starters (2,3) 27. Ship that plundered Tommy Atkins and the Queen (9) 28. Worried about the way guitar fingerboard looks (7) 29. Artillery training could be provided by grey nun (7)

DOWN

1. Swells up with bits of praise for advertising (5)

2. Words such as radar initially formed (7)

3. Last of claret, the drink to make people twist together (5) 4. ‘Thus – doth make cowards of us all’ (Hamlet) (10) 5. Long not to begin, but make money (4)

6. It takes pocket-money to give one gyp, baking! (5,4) 7. Marine left the harbour (7)

8. What one sees ahead of a fool is a cone (6,3)

13. It’s almost curious, the fish that’s stopping one breathing (10)

14. Weather gets better away, so one goes (6,3)

15. It’s advisable to have such means to an end (9)

18. Steal one’s thunder being farther from the footlights! (7) 20. Peter takes both ends of alphabet like this to swing from (7) 23. It’s clear it’s an open stretch of country (5)

24. Will stay behind, looking black (5)

25. Was in a hurry to use money, being short of nitrogen (4)