CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

29/6

ACROSS

1. Ridiculous ratings, endlessly rude and upsetting (6)

8. One piece of ammo person buying drinks may stand (5)

9. Did something wounding, being potty to go back to bed (7)

11. See about airborne soldier end of regiment will take apart (8)

12. Sort of metal, something like a line in a boat (5)

15. What produces unhappiness is to exist back-to-front (4)

16. Something poetic older dramatists essay initially (3)

17. Sort of event for anyone to enter: it’s not been decided (4)

19. Go steadily ahead and produce dud notes (5)

21. Both taps used, painting the barrow (4-4)

24. Old-fashioned, you are about to merit old penny one longed for (7)

25. Say what you will have to command (5)

26. Making wry faces when tackling the lawn? (6)

DOWN

2. A number in the tub, or number in the oven at one time (5)

3. Something to put up when it comes down (8)

4. Looks as if one cheats the she-rabbits (4)

5. Play-time, when one will soundly slow down (5)

6. Animal getting back up to some degree (4)

7. That is, about 550 just tick over (4)

10. A D-I-Y volume for the office table (4,5)

12. Try to find and understand the beginning of knowledge (4)

13. Shakespeare’s petty pacer: it never comes! (8)

14. It may enable one to get lower in the back needlessly (4)

18. Twenty make a line with a point (5)

20. Shade allowing one to go, being inexperienced (5)

21. Fictional bear has turned up something to bowl (4)

22. ‘wanton wiles, – and becks, and wreathed smiles’ (Milton) (4)

23. Designate something such as school time (4)

SATURDAY’S SOLUTION

Across: 1. Bemused 4. Dribble 8. Made 9. Enticement 11. Oil-rig

12. Mystical 14. Zoophobia 15. Sloop 17. Enter 18. Time-lapse

19. Thematic 21. Before 23. Provisions 24. Liar 25. Ridding

26. Big-head

1. Bamboozle 2. Middle-of-the-road 3. Dunk 4. Dairy farms

5. Inept 6. Breach of promise 7. Extol 10. Dither 13. Abstaining

15. Silver 16. Preferred 19. Tapir 20. Alibi 22. Snob

Down: