CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

No 16,475

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 16,475, 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 working 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 71.

ACROSS

1 Young man ordered to retain officer’s feature in paper (5,6) 9 Queasy individual among drunken cases on bow of ketch (7) 10 A small amount allowed in by British doorman (7) 11 Fish shelter, heading west (3) 12 Paris police welcome soldiers over for fun and games (7) 13 Routine varies before delivery (2,5) 14 Foreign coins put back in middle of field (3) 15 Dark period near start of Twenties (5) 17 Big city, Prague, lacking odd characters (5) 18 We’re worried about shirt front so repeat stitches (5) 20 Assemble before court (5) 22 A little bit of work requires a little bit of detergent (3) 24 Head of government’s first performance curtailed (7) 25 Cryptic clue about writer’s small room (7) 26 One pair of lines, 9 (3) 27 Special friend hosts old American dealing with union (7) 28 Going after ball, strained but not very hard (7) 29 County aids all except the first people in need (4-3-4)

DOWN

1 Outraged IOC bans tailored body-building drug (8,7) 2 View what makes you cry over Private Eye (7) 3 Current king very well placed on the margins by George (5) 4 Blue tit perished in old English prison (9) 5 Group of students in universities cut drink? That’s odd (7) 6 Broadcast unclear about performers where hot rods are (7,8) 7 Superior blended fuel’s handy (6) 8 Wood collected round channel (6) 16 Argue fiercely about radical, 26, underground fighter (9) 18 Formal meal annually breaks holiday (6) 19 A ship founders, having weight at both ends – it’s a cutter (7) 21 Picture that’s forbidden to include green (7) 23 Musical that helps everything run smoothly? (6) 25 Obscure location of vast amount of data (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.