CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Couple of females involved in fight for bag (6) 4 Holder of huge flower, man in garden adopts symbol of grace (5,3)

9 Football bosses split when Hearts leave – it’s undemocratic (7)

11 16Ac’s 12Ac in 19Ac 22Dn in the 28Ac could be humorous, by the sound of it (3,4)

12 Lie about wearing Catholic artefact (5) 13 Swede regularly entered middle of Japan (4) 14 Cheese fondue everyone takes after starters (4)

16 Leave in instant? Unusual if he’s involved (5,9) 19 Philosopher-theologian Johnson cut American detective-sergeant adrift (4,4,6)

23 House to back what’s heard in Parliament (4) 24 How to communicate in storm on Northern island? (4)

25 A short distance into Georgia, following delta (5)

27 Teacher sent back German rice dish (7) 28 Nutted coming away from battlegrounds redeveloped in Glasgow (7)

29 Become closer, murmuring: “I’ll do it for you”, entrances! (8)

30 Renew contract, but leave work (6)

DOWN

1 Fell, fed up and sore about things at first (8) 2 Italian twist makes us unwell, if up and about (7) 3 Not a lot of people know that Michael returned old computer (5)

5 Homeless snail takes in homeless Scottish political leader, throwing in a bit of self-promotion (9,4)

6 I’m in South Africa, lifting objects (4) 7 Finished holding right-on talk, tediously (5,2) 8 Man who made atonement for beer production? (6)

10 Tiny holes in a short round? (9,4)

15 Zero twitching of the ear (4)

17 Bomb smelled badly when top removed (4) 18 Jenny and Wally in booth, for example? (8) 20 Opt to remove tail, so climbing a problem for marsupial (7)

21 Something making booming noise in forest? I’m panicking! (7)

22 Religious body cut off friend over empty rhetoric on central Kashmir (6)

25 Blood covering skinhead who fell in this? (5) 26 Medallion man initially takes in south of France (4)