CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Big stores avoid these teams’ gifts, I hear (4,7)

9 Toastie’s underdone portion (7)

10 One rascal spikes very old uneven pitch (7)

11 Leaderless Republic’s fury (3)

12 Collapse if a rule’s broken (7)

13 Repeat request for wind instrument college lost (7)

14 I’ve no time for that

party excluding son (3)

15 Big bird eaten by another one (5)

17 Prominent old newspaper found in empty lorry (5)

18 Originally Manchester United footballers trained in civvies (5)

20 Iron papers (5)

22 A feature of Arctice verywhere (3)

24 Old jailer and knight tucked into Christmas fare (7)

25 Schoolmaster’s longing to fit in short term (7)

26 Mark loves farm sound (3)

27 What acrobats use, some flipping with ease, it’s said (7)

28 Wife and I had gone off duck (7)

29 Damaging strike by big port (American) (11)

DOWN

1 Where do serious hospital cases go? That’s easy (15)

2 Emerge from pit, taking a turn that hurts (7)

3 Parody excludes radical French composer (5)

4 Think highly of rector always in Parisian church (9)

5 Mobile banjaxed crossing river and mire (7)

6 Reserve stall of seafood? That’s beside the point (5-10)

7 Lead round judge initially admiring cheap building (6)

8 Cheer old soldiers during country dance (6)

16 Harry may regret securing compensation (9)

18 Couple touring Utah change (6)

19 Writer used to dip into this at home, sounding put out (7)

21 Child pinches a medal, the brat! (2-3-2)

23 Go wrong with short delivery, say (6)

25 Device used to pull loom? (5)

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.

No 16,345 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 16,345, 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 datestamped 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 70.