CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

6 Angry airport head confiscating member’s message (14) 9 Barrier surrounds Middle East cell (6) 10 Tense parents disrupted part of church (8) 11 Supporter did well to defend stylish back at first (8) 13 It’s getting warmer — 1°C each century principally, apparently (3,3) 15 Habit of stripping or vice versa (6) 17 Gym contains English books and large smooth stone (6) 19 Cast rally round about stars (6) 20 They’re seen in court disputing gripes about women’s group (8) 22 Salt fills empty shellfish (8) 24 Allow for each U.S. institute (6) 26 David covets ale when drunk — he likes stirring it (6,8)

DOWN

1 Pause to relax on entering swimming pool with Anglicans (9,5) 2 Woodcutter’s commercials on radio (4) 3 Settler in Cape brings in large old jacket (6) 4 Resident possessing, for instance, less than nothing (8) 5 Rising interest rates squeeze faculty (4) 7 European gathers up treasure (6) 8 Old man bags top-class genuine ground within a country (5,3,6) 12 Bill’s admitted to Northern Irish pits (5) 14 English bishop visits humble joint (5) 16 Blunder on leaving semicolons in the wrong positions (8) 18 Cast about to fill small person’s home (6) 21 Hawk perhaps unsettles parrot (6) 23 Crime genre’s somewhat histrionic on reflection (4) 25 Right propeller’s loud noise (4) FOR your chance to win, solve the crossword to reveal the word reading down the shaded boxes. HOW TO ENTER: Call 0901 293 6233 and leave today’s answer and your details, or TEXT 65700 with the word CRYPTIC, your answer and your name. Texts and calls cost £1 plus standard network charges. Or enter by post by sending completed crossword to Daily Mail Prize Crossword 16233, PO Box 28, Colchester, Essex CO2 8GF. Please include your name and address. One weekly winner chosen from all correct daily entries received between 00.01 Monday and 23.59 Friday. Postal entries must be date-stamped no later than the following day to qualify. Calls/texts must be received by 23.59; answers change at 00.01. UK residents aged 18+, exc NI. Terms apply, see Page 66.

NEED A CLUE? Text TIP to 65700 to receive FOUR answers to today’s crossword, or call 0901 293 6236. Texts and calls cost £1 plus standard network charges. Today’s clues available between 00.01 today and 23.30 only.