CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 He preps dish ordered by European — this dish? (9,3) 8 Everlasting duchess’s elegance recalled to some degree (7) 9 Cricket side cut new deal, it’s asserted (7) 11 Award for gangster operating in the dark, so I hear (10) 12 Disgusting offence in

game (4) 14 One who settles the price to capture wild lion (8) 16 Film Briton with prince, ignoring every other character (6) 17 Poor actor in Shakespeare play let off (3) 19 Strange story involving

English seafood (6) 21 Ferocious beast corners people in vault (8) 24 Northern lines’ point

of intersection (4) 25 Noticed Abraham returning without British wives of Indian rulers (10) 27 Room to treat

unhealthy horse (7) 28 Loathe storing dry nuts in watery compound (7) 29 We reinstall a complex natural source of water (8,4)

DOWN

1 Exceptional individual appears in different places (7) 2 Just woman passed round note (4-6) 3 Hotels accommodate American twice in secret (4-4) 4 ‘About A Boy’ shows good sense (6) 5 Will the author start to satirise fabulous little creature? (4) 6 Clique that’s stylish and mature, losing weight (2-5) 7 List stories — they may attract some interest (4,8) 10 Eat slices laid out in study, bought here perhaps (12) 13 Teams confuse position of woman at Badminton? (4-6) 15 Regularly boast about

bill in New York (3) 18 A matron managed to catch husband in the long run (8) 20 In which motorcycle passenger is belted up separately (7) 22 Closely watch what’s in

orbit (7) 23 Odd pair case party walls, finding old documents (6) 26 Player and leader of orchestra occasionally booze (4)