CRYPTIC CROSSWORD
ACROSS 1 Sullen and low, ready to finish (5) 6 Rosie weaves this basket material (5) 9 Defence work to have second thoughts about? (7) 10 Bad mark for a boy getting out of line (5) 11 Does it wobble sweetly? (5) 12 Be out for the rest of the night (5) 13 Bent on getting a strap fixed (7) 15 Just one short month in the countryside calendar (3) 17 She may embrace a pupil (4) 18 Jocular Australian (6) 19 Amphibians with a way of getting into nets (5) 20 A canny batsman? (6) 22 Be a sponger, thus meriting the term ‘swab’? (4) 24 Neither number’s right (3) 25 They have meetings with many others (7) 26 Take the wrong way (5) 27 Judged to be a traitor to the editor (5) 28 Broad smiles from supporters (5) 29 National river, just as you’d expect (7) 30 Scatty, rather like Dorothy (5) 31 In one aspect, it’s simply not a stage whisper (5)
DOWN
2 Run too wild when travelling (2,4) 3 Many are ice cold, evidently (6) 4 The old-fashioned way to get money (3) 5 Was prepared to mimic Victoria (5) 6 Things of which one disapproves? (7) 7 Take pets for a walk (4) 8 She may possibly lie, even (6) 12 Break off editing verse (5) 13 Animal with twin offspring? (5) 14 Have policemen hesitation in drinking it? (5) 15 Cricket team having to fade out in the southern US (5) 16 Yields seeds, we’re told (5) 18 Source of support, but not backing! (5) 19 Deny tax collection within 24 hours (4,3) 21 King Edward, for instance (6) 22 Pointed shoe parts with circular fitments (6) 23 Prepared to give a proper name (6) 25 In the Bible, Simon was no saint! (5) 26 Enraptured by a pronounced fragrance (4) 28 Sheepish utterance of a bachelor with heavy heart (3) YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION ACROSS: 3. G-host 8. La-V-er 10. Tommy 11. Sin 12. Treat 13. Heat-her 15. P-adre 18. Rum 19. Alloys 21. Vampire 22. Peel 23. Plea 24. Val-idly 26. Lauder 29. Sue 31. Laser 32. Can-apes 34. Aidan 35. Son 36. Joint 37. Dept-h 38. Sylph. DOWN: 1. Cases 2. Central 4. He-R-R 5. Staple 6. Tot-a-L 7. Emery 9. Via 12. Templar 14. Hum 16. Dolly 17. Essay 19. Artisan 20. Spell 21. Ven-US 23. Pl-eased 24. Verity 25. Dun 27. AA-Ron 28. Deans 30. Tenth 32. Carp 33. Pop.