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 the completed crossword to Daily Mail Prize Crossword 17,283, 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+, excl NI. Terms apply, see Page 48.

ACROSS

1 Outline key bone shown in deer at odd points (8)

5 Drinking haunt found in sweltering Australian city (6)

9 Team with Basil’s wife picked up a container for metals (8)

10 Artist is inspired by exotic lake in Indian state (6)

12 With sun gone, drain large jug for water (4)

13 See trio put off a ballet dancer’s moves (10)

15 Secure options devised to get diamond, say (8,5)

19 Mate with a grunt possibly I have found briefly quarrelsome (13)

23 Place supporting a key player? (5,5)

25 Unsightly mark seen in worthless carpets (4) 28 Brought up or torn down in hearing (6)

29 Very severe man in Rome beginning to underline austere period (8)

30 Note longings in respected figures in a field (6)

31 Beer levy disputed in East Yorkshire town (8)

DOWN

1 Curtail here undressed port employee (6)

2 Writer Nevil in film, reportedly (5)

3 Largely regretting destruction (4)

4 Cocktail, thing that might be struck in Italy (7)

6 Love times to observe daisy (5)

7 How a swimmer might excel in one go? (2,1,6)

8 Design on paper shift (8)

11 On a regular basis, took foul Asian food (4)

14 Consider some crude employee (4)

15 Guy in pact surprisingly showing combative nature (9)

16 Choose time after work (3)

17 Outwardly sleek Indian gets part of a fruit (4)

18 Unusually mad peer defending prince that’s treated indulgently (8)

20 Three points about start of this practice session for cricketers (4)

21 Go in sea haphazardly and fret? (7)

22 Plucky Greek given to humour with leader gone (6)

24 Singer Billy in large amount of blue? (5)

26 Cover empty fish basket made of wicker (5)

27 Muggins scheduled to pocket small amount of money (4)