CRUSADER PRIZE CROSSWORD
ACROSS
1 Dispatch bonus included in salary (7) 5 Article deconstructed performance (7) 9 Disinfected beach - it’s English through and through (9) 10 What’s left of the tree may perplex (5) 11 Resort to putting portal behind ruin (7) 12 Respond with gold generator (7) 13 Hans offended (accidentally) with slight initial indifference (13) 18 Ranch entry too weird? Quite the reverse (2,3,8) 20 Judge country left in denial (7) 23 Socialist to vote for finch (7) 25 Unknown woman starts church in wartime seat of government (5) 26 Docker finds first woman and daughter in shop (9) 27 Starting point - banter about aardvark (3,4) 28 Cry and agree with husband on nothing (5-2)
DOWN
1 Points to identical tropical plant (6) 2 Target area: Tom’s problem that’s deep-seated (9) 3 More like an actor (5) 4 Adjust speed on river to bother outlaw (9) 5 Equestrian clause (5) 6 Priam’s daughter caught fool with artist (9) 7 Mock the first relative (5) 8 Impudence at encounter with applicator (3,5) 14 Gratis fashion at a stroke (9) 15 Stop chap getting cleaner (9) 16 Wordy study is fanciful yet gloomy (9) 17 Moron travelled by way of capital (8) 19 Blade turned round by reflective power (6) 21 Confront temperature on the surface (5) 22 Exchange roles with no-hoper (5) 24 Live in Germany in a good way (5)
FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN £100 CASH read down the letters in the highlighted squares to reveal the mystery word.
TO ENTER: Call 0904 161 3700 and leave your answer and details, or text DXCRUS followed by a space, your answer, name and address details to 84915. Calls cost £1.50 plus your telephone company’s network access charge. Texts cost £1.50 plus your standard network rate. Lines close at midnight tonight. Or send your grid containing the answer in the shaded squares by posting it to: Crusader Crossword, February 21, PO Box 12578, Sutton Coldfield B73 9BT. Entries must be postmarked by February 22 at the latest. SP: Spoke – 0333 202 3390. For any postal enquiries, call helpline number. ● The winner will be the first random correct entry drawn from all entry routes after the closing date of February 28. NEED HELP? Call 0904 161 1609 for 5 extra clues! Calls cost £1.50 plus your telephone company’s network access charge.