CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

No. 16,041

ACROSS

1 American threesome in Asian river working hard (11) 9 Person from Riga orders vital article (7) 10 Release group without charge (3,4) 11 Nearly avoid mountain runner (3) 12 Spot muscle in deer’s regressing (7) 13 Barred journey into southeastern delta (7) 14 Military commander beginning to abandon long story (3) 15 Turkish officer remains inside every year (5) 17 What birds do, about to enter enclosure (5) 18 Expensive stage involves Spain (5) 20 Subject pretended to return around end of August (5) 22 Not the ideal conditions for Open golf starters (3) 24 Result of attendance (7) 25 Works jockeys without staff at first (7) 26 William’s part not favourable (3) 27 A horse and sheep feature in some clues (7) 28 Discourage three consecutive semitones (7) 29 Marshal hectors them in final part of race (4,7)

DOWN

1 Steam bath in here rebuilt simultaneously (2,3,4,6) 2 ‘Empty your glass’ — typical announcement in budget (5,2) 3 Become aware of five headings (5) 4 Opposing potentially nastier sort around street (9) 5 Surface rock roughly cut in poor ground (7) 6 RAF had prospects dashed, having little money (8,3,4) 7 State of car unfortunately in front (6) 8 Ambassador and a mobster face to face (4-2) 16 Occasionally drunkard grabs writer, semi-drunk (9) 18 Revolutionised role as provincial governor (6) 19 Plan for good stuff (7) 21 Pass on: ‘It’s under fine tobacco’ (5,2) 23 Effusive person, good guide (6) 25 Arrived earlier, left in river (5)