CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

1 East African port challenges Arab salutation (3,2,6) 9 Earnestly request one extra housing place (7) 10 What compositors used to do? Sort scenery (7) 11 Cook English roe perhaps (3) 12 When almost nobody starts to do any yawning? (7) 13 Cook hot flan?

You bet! (3,4) 14 Sort of green fuel

that’s been cut (3) 15 Pan, and what’s in

it maybe (5) 17 Each minister’s back in Ely, having lost heart (5) 18 Spy briefly secures

another’s stint (5) 20 Fly individual interrupting storyline (5) 22 Cut times in hospital

department? (3) 24 Disperse cattle over acres to produce food for calves (7) 25 Outstanding McCartney accompanies Ringo initially (7) 26 Gently strike bug (3) 27 Very nearly ruined

bean plant (7) 28 Not evenly balanced in

tune quality (7) 29 Unprompted, son sat up with one, working (11)

ACROSS

1 Tactful police surround Republican staff in embassies (10,5) 2 Again request judge to dismiss leader of Commons (7) 3 Disreputable CD, might one say? (5) 4 Obsessive keeps a tent prepared for those in Labour? (9) 5 Paralympian maybe placed under a minute ahead of Europeans (7) 6 Manipulative workers here service regular OAPs in trouble (7,8) 7 Abduct a kind quirky prince (6) 8 Catching cold perhaps, in need of ventilation (6) 16 Fruit dish priest hired brought in in pieces (5,4) 18 Sage, say, with minor adjustment, offers digestive aid (6) 19 Spot unpleasant smell in innocuous prescription (7) 21 Article dealing with Toronto case in addition (7) 23 In a spooky way, Lake Erie disturbed Yankee (6) 25 Refuse to

drive north (5)

DOWN

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 16,425, 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 66.