CRUSADER PRIZE CROSSWORD

HERE’S YOUR CHANCE TO WIN AN AMAZING £ 100 CASH PRIZE Complete today’s crossword correctly and send your grid to: Crusader Crossword, February 12, PO Box 12578, Sutton Coldfield B73 9BT.

Entries must be postmarked February 13 at the latest. The winner will be the first correct entry drawn after the closing date of February 19.

ACROSS

1 Ragged mob stirred by poverty ( 9) 6 Betting old city finds incentive ( 4) 10 Second instrument is out of tune ( 5) 11 Magician used cress and rose concoction ( 9) 12 Tolerant Russian ruler has energy and time ( 7) 13 French painter has small entry ( 7) 14 Inflated popes turn out to be unelected ( 4- 9) 17 Message that’s medium/ large met trouble ( 13) 21 Have too much, having finished tea off ( 7) 22 Reverence for new sceptre ( 7) 24 Got copier working to show upward growth ( 9) 25 Nobleman reaches coordinate ahead of schedule ( 5) 26 Cricket match can be a trial ( 4) 27 Cooked dessert is most elegant ( 9)

DOWN

1 HQ not quite so spurious ( 8) 2 Bit of a smile outside ( 5) 3 Fruit as means of ascent in the East End ( 6,3,5) 4 Table the best form of publishing ( 7) 5 Frenchman I train to mix drink ( 7) 7 Suppose queen is only a claimant to the throne ( 9) 8 Oppose sister’s plan ( 6) 9 Astronaut’s feeling of immediacy, say ( 14) 15 So unclear about thieving ( 9) 16 Maths yet to be set in stone ( 8) 18 Cop too fixed on density of mollusc ( 7) 19 Listener treats each pain ( 7) 20 Make time to ignore ( 6) 23 Eastern lake is creepy ( 5)