SOLUTION TO PRIZE CROSSWORD No 15,771:

ACROSS: 1 Hard copy. 5 Bistro. 9 Binnacle. 10 Stooge. 12 Oops. 13 Pooh-poohed. 15 Chief justices. 19 Stepping stone. 23 Baking soda. 25 Scan. 28 Look-in. 29 Reliable. 30 A level. 31 Estimate. DOWN: 1 Hobnob. 2 Run-up. 3 Char. 4 Pull off. 6 Intro. 7 Toothache. 8 Overdose. 11 Thou. 14 Lisp. 15 Cheekbone. 16 Jog. 17 Troy. 18 Isabella. 20 Nosh. 21 Sadness. 22 Annexe. 24 Naive. 26 Cobra. 27 Hi-fi.