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 16,754, 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 50.

ACROSS

1 Check underground laboratory item (4,4) 5 Wilde’s awards ceremony (6) 9 Unproductive land, sort of square, blocking shore (3-5) 10 Late snack would be excellent, having spent a penny (6) 12 Pole managed to make

great strides (4) 13 A single male in burial mound’s the source of blood (4,6) 15 Fuss after pay cut by German city briefly out of touch (13) 19 Horse in China trained

to clear a Sierra (8,5) 23 Rational repeated denial by Poles seen misbehaving (2-8) 25 Jumper a trifle askew?

Not all of it (4) 28 So far, gallery is receiving overdraft (2,4) 29 Starry team, one in

Madrid (8) 30 Hang loose, left in peril

mostly (6) 31 Recently made drink

with nitrogen in it (5-3)

DOWN

1 Coach lets us brawl (6) 2 Group in dispute stupidly backs organisation (3-2) 3 The first of these

request work (4) 4 Brush round Edward’s

place of retirement (7) 6 Bath University invested

in NASA complex (5) 7 A nuisance besets

audacious concern (9) 8 Sailors finish securing

lid (5,3) 11 List of courses given up by unemployed beginners (4) 14 Perhaps a Glaswegian way to acquire company (4) 15 Ancient beast’s droppings brought in by one lecturer (9) 16 Crew’s chief neglecting

one (3) 17 I’m a leader in

mosque (4) 18 Gave out name and

date haphazardly (8) 20 Reside abroad, going

over plan (4) 21 Bank employee’s

sack (7) 22 What hippos do that’s amazing around a large lake (6) 24 Netherlands besieged at a SA province once (5) 26 Right to grab one

extended rest (3-2) 27 First of victories over a

German vessel (4)