CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS 1 Promise kept in reserve for

Pole in dock (8) 5 Pattern initially made of

squares, all in colour (6) 9 Tainted by wolf fiercely eating

large bison finally (8) 10 A tortuous maths problem

involving tubes (6) 12 Knock over small file (4) 13 One of 22 used to cover kingsize bed? (10) 15 In no time, Paul’s crudely

spread this on wall (8,5) 19 One stranded, adrift touring foreign city, needs these (8,5) 23 Disjointed note on terribly

gloomy study (10) 25 Caucasians cover a vast area

of land (4) 28 People bar fifty-one clubs (6) 29 Axe vital compound that

unblocks canals (8) 30 Devised scene to maintain

international relations (6) 31 Brave fellow like Van Gogh

(8)

DOWN 1 Earlier display of beer (6) 2 Gulf ruined by a ship (5) 3 Handle student during success (4) 4 Where nurses are usually

ahead (7) 6 Occasionally, nomad skips

watering-hole (5) 7 Train 3 etc. as main attraction

of Olympics (9) 8 Abstinence that is displayed

in city’s suburbs (8) 11 Former chairman tours Yankee county (4) 14 Blast of wind rounds off

month (4) 15 Divine but not initially fit to

hold position (9) 16 Lower than zero during

academic year (3) 17 Set up contents of very perilous bonfire (4) 18 Extra golf tournament’s completely unpredictable (4-4) 20 Scrabble letter left in game

(4) 21 Like dance over in church (7) 22 Decorates 19 (6) 24 Cereal I found in Hampton

Court feature (5) 26 One gatecrashing Scottish

party with English bird (5) 27 Couple start to prepare

broadcast (4)