CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1. Role Tom plays with a shake in the voice (7)

5. The deuce of a novelist, Charles was (7)

9. How men merit fun when it’s about right (9)

10. What’s the point of returning to State shortly? (5)

11. He hopes for the best tip Tom is to provide (8)

12. Sort of electrical cast it produces (6)

14. Confined to a vicinity, a cold lies around (9)

16. Might raid one of the lines in a circle (5)

17. Counsel’s instruction is of a different fibre (5)

19. Of a sort of animal Mam can turn to (9)

21. Fail to honour deal made in the general retreat (6)

22. Being so down a rut is inconvenient (8)

26. It takes firm a way to making solid ground (5)

27. The burning of cream turns into it (9)

28. What’s left to die? Sure might be (7)

29. A queen – a real one, as it turned out (7)

DOWN

1. It’s time for one to play (5)

2. Make a mistake with one cat that may not be steady (7)

3. Hatred of mud one can have with nothing ahead (5)

4. Entrancing words from the Arabian Nights (4,6)

5. What one ought to do is pay it on imports (4)

6. Self-service restaurant where one can eat ice far different (9)

7. Former partner is quoted when one’s worked up (7)

8. The picking of a musical potpourri (9)

13. Believe the first couple to be Cockney (4,3,3)

14. He frees one from a WW2 bomber (9)

15. Cavalryman who joined up so he could save bathers in difficulty? (9)

18. Region’s being developed but one takes no notice (7)

20. Persian one raced a Scot (7)

23. Make speeches or change for tea (5)

24. He gives a party and Ron turns up (5)

25. He followed company up to the dart-throwers’ line (4)

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION

Across: 1. Misconstrue 8. Impeding 9. Burn 10. Tests 13. Dodo 16. Prop

17. Fern 18. Iron 20. Posse 24. Tear 25. Reticule 26. Meet half-way Down: 2. Imps 3. Cadge 4. Nonet 5. Rabid 6. Disappoints

7. Encountered 11. Slump 12. Slurs 14. Open 15. Polo 19. Nurse

21. Opera 22. Stiff 23. Puma