GENERAL KNOWLEDGE CROSSWORD

WIN A LUXURY CROSS PEN

ACROSS

6 Expression meaning ‘stay silent’ (4,3) 7 Tezcatlipoca was god of time and the nocturnal sky in this mythology (5) 9 The ____ , legal thriller novel by U.S. author John Grisham published in 1991 (4) 10 The ____ , U.S. pop rock duo noted for their song I’ll Be There For You, theme tune for the sitcom Friends (10) 11 U.S. composer John Williams wrote the scores for the nine main films in this sci-fi film series (4,4) 13 The sacrificial offer of a piece for the sake of future advantage in a chess game’s opening (6) 15 ____ Barstow, English novelist noted for his 1960 debut novel A Kind Of Loving (4) 17 A coral island consisting of a ring-shaped reef enclosing a lagoon (5) 18 Gerry, politician who was first leader of Northern Ireland’s Social Democratic and Labour Party (4) 19 A half-tamed variety of the polecat, used to drive rabbits from their burrows (6) 20 Audley, British former heavyweight boxer who won gold at the 2000 Olympics (8) 23 English stand-up comedian who narrates the reality TV show Celebs Go Dating (3,7) 26 Character in the U.S. cartoon The Simpsons who plays the saxophone (4) 27 A Russian country house or cottage (5) 28 An oblique stroke used in writing fractions or ratios (7)

DOWN

1 Large dog originally bred in Germany for hunting, nicknamed Grey Ghost for its colouring (10) 2 Mafia code of honour requiring silence about criminal activities (6) 3 A prayer leader in a mosque (4) 4 An unaccompanied song in several parts in counterpoint (8) 5 The ____ Rifles, song by The Jam released in 1979 (4) 6 Gustav, Austrian symbolist painter noted for his 1908 work The Kiss (5) 8 Plant with scented leaves whose technical name is nepeta (7) 12 Laziness or sluggishness (5) 14 Henry Higgins and Eliza Doolittle are leading characters in this stage and film musical (2,4,4) 16 1990s late-night, youthoriented TV show whose presenters included Terry Christian and Mark Lamarr (3,4) 17 A despotic ruler (8) 21 Simon, English conductor and music director of the London Symphony Orchestra since 2017 (6) 22 Britpop group who released their first single Supersonic in 1994 (5) 24 Informal term for a U.S. dollar (4) 25 ____ End, part of London from which Cockneys traditionally come (4)

SOLUTION ON MONDAY

PlAY our accumulator game! for your chance to win a Cross ballpoint pen, solve the crossword to reveal the letter in the pink circle. if you have been playing since Monday, you should now have a five-letter word. to enter, call 0901 133 4423 and leave your answer and details. Or text 65700 with the word FIVE and your answer and name. n TEXTS and calls cost 50p plus standard network charges. One winner chosen from all correct entries received between 00.01 today and 23.59 this Sunday. UK residents aged 18+ excl NI. Full terms apply, see Page 64.