CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

No 16,412

ACROSS

1 If the middle of nowhere is H, what is D? (4,2,6) 8 Free a Parisian husband with ache (7) 9 Enthusiastically fancy bananas (4,3) 11 Prince recruits a police officer and cleaners (10) 12 In the past, 100

occupied unit (4) 14 Doctor Morgan designed his own logo (8) 16 Put pressure on sewer with no seam (6) 17 Reversed reader’s

approval (3) 19 Writer’s British, in charge of some verse (6) 21 Short lad, Border Scot, unconventional artist perhaps (8) 24 Rent shop with

no front (4) 25 Disparaging Bachelor of Letters eating English fish (10) 27 In Arundel it is

typically snobbish (7) 28 What keeps plane flying, one in new RAF base (7) 29 Victor studies novel about India’s changes in fortunes (12)

DOWN

1 Clever guy impresses a hospital somewhere in the Gulf (7) 2 Farm barrier and police guard old PM briefly and his king (6,4) 3 Snake concealed in battered piano (8) 4 Risk carrying university lecturers round (6) 5 It’s fine to separate the old couple (4) 6 One arranged to entertain pit candidate (7) 7 Meeting group must become trained to control IT (12) 10 County hosts various singers with grand evening wear (8,4) 13 Secret revolutionary socialist wins time for urban acceptability (6,4) 15 Members of brotherhood principally? (3) 18 Leading party worker keeps in touch initially (8) 20 Sort of swallow

one cocktail (7) 22 Current groups ignore rare signs that winter’s arrived (7) 23 Ties up beds

on board (6) 26 Bird killed instantly with impunity at first (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 16,412, 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 64.