CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 The marital issue? (5) 6 A number of thieves (5) 9 It’s of rocky appearance (7) 10 A musical little girl (5) 11 Gets rid of a drunken sot touring the States (5) 12 Are these birds bitches? (5) 13 Conceal the error of putting too much in a vessel (5,2) 15 It can mean a sticky end for fliers (3) 17 Singular redhead, maybe a knockout! (4) 18 Like a stranded sailor? (6) 19 A blow to discomfit anybody (5) 20 In need of washing (like potatoes, say?) (6) 22 Is there much left at the baker’s? (4) 24 Retains less than one purchased (3) 25 Train to help and support a VIP (7) 26 If green, it’s topping for a commando (5) 27 Fifty-four ways to stir things up (5) 28 Diverting in an odd way (5) 29 It’s silly for campers to hurry (7) 30 Get together and have one before closing time (5) 31 Being tired, not keen about a late finish (5)

DOWN

2 Wait in suspense? (4,2) 3 Loaf or tile, possibly (6) 4 Just the outskirts of Dundee (3) 5 Throw away some scrapings (5) 6 Silly enough to wear a motley mixture? (7) 7 The music of love to a Manx cat? (4) 8 Half the team trot out, staggering, and seem weak (6) 12 Play school? (5) 13 Must you pay to do this up? (5) 14 She makes a bit of love before sunrise (5) 15 Old girl in a woolly-headed state (5) 16 A beautiful ringing note? (5) 18 A donkey with a ferret’s tail must be worth something! (5) 19 It can make one missed (7) 21 Helping with the allotment? (6) 22 Think of a number (6) 23 Athlete up the pole? (6) 25 Much written about a manuscript (5) 26 To be a saint is superlatively good (4) 28 A fathead needs directions, if not many (3)