CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

WIN £500

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/calls cost £1 plus standard network charges. Or enter by post by sending the completed crossword to Daily Mail Prize Crossword 17,348, 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 and texts must be received by 23.59; answers change at 00.01. UK residents aged 18+, excl NI. Terms apply, see Page 52.

ACROSS

1 Jersey, say, has sun on

verges and plants (8)

5 Calm place with support to cover start of crisis (6)

9 Highly creative pair foil

criminal in charge (8)

10 Craig is excited about

large edible bulb (6)

12 Unattractive fool losing money lately on vacation (4)

13 Uninspiring name facing set of diners? That’s very poor (10)

15 Parent yearns to keep stage for one with fragile pins? (5-4-4)

19 How one might count seconds incorporating the latest? (2-2-3-6)

23 German cook cultivated

a bushy shrub (4,6)

25 Two notes for vaulted

part of a roof (4)

28 Spouses come together in these workers’ groups (6)

29 Brief description host formulated after break (8)

30 First sign of these feeble types in clothes of woollen cloth (6)

31 Rough layer loosely

covering article (8)

DOWN

1 Excuse from clubs over

work in public (3-3)

2 Question both sides

in spiral shape (5)

3 Most of group at home

has joint of meat (4)

4 Be nosy about computer having

greater importance (7)

6 Tale’s to be modified a

minimal amount (5)

7 Worries about scientific site beginning to examine type of broccoli (9)

8 Reduce jacket in diamante

about to be put in box (8)

11 Way to switch parts in protest (4) 14 Correct part of planned

itinerary (4)

15 Investigator is flawed making

leader of force tense (9)

16 Actor Herbert, northern

Italian resident, no poet (3)

17 Bitterness, reportedly,

in old Roman region (4)

18 Overcome upcoming

American on rare horse (8)

20 Dash close to some U.S.

city over November (4)

21 Naive woman for all to see beset

by breakdown of engine (7)

22 Something worn by rector over

year in room by church (6)

24 Had to get inducted

(lacking credit) (5)

26 Companion probing valuable

material, earthy pigment (5)

27 Observe pimple (4)