CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

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 16,536, 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 date-stamped 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.

ACROSS

1 More flexible provider doesn’t have one (7) 5 Leave Home Counties aristocrat (3,3) 9 Hate being sick twice, swallowing whiskey (3,4) 10 Author doesn’t finish ‘A Disreputable Woman’ (7) 11 Regularly fooled opponent (3) 12 Confine child’s horse, dear, one of four used in ring (6,5) 13 Some waterski, unnerved, reflecting weariness (5) 14 Delighted about working with German, stretched out (9) 16 Arrange do for a rep? Subs do it (9) 17 Pile up a manuscript when collected (5) 19 It may be foolish, even so let’s broadcast soprano (11) 22 First woman in seven

stripped (3) 23 Perhaps clock a

mythical monster (7) 24 Azure bulbul regularly seen in Scottish isle (3-4) 26 Part of plant, not wild,

kept in tin (6) 27 It’s terribly sad sacrificing rare independence (7)

DOWN

1 Sign of cold small fellows in river (7) 2 Fossil student friend taking ages to register one stone (15) 3 Group of people invest cash in Romania (3) 4 Slacken end of rear axle that’s bent (5) 5 Relaxed among trees getting timber for cabinet-maker (9) 6 Piece of cloth on girl? (5) 7 Orwell felt awful about French composer, a Red sympathiser (6,9) 8 Spanish study US ranch (6) 12 Tell female to support dairy product (5) 14 What spotter at Crewe does a lot, leading to this complaint? (9) 15 Good girl’s schooner perhaps (5) 16 Check places first for coup (6) 18 Set part of play on line (7) 20 Occasionally golfer aims to shine (5) 21 4 left support for painter (5) 25 Unknown smell upset

lout (3)