CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Unusual relief of MP grasping first of issues in productive period (5,2,4) 9 Opera found in Milan or Madrid (5) 10 Journalist following English division in Britain is pestered (11) 11 Old staff in ME country (4) 14 Canadian country singer very like another touring area (5) 16 Support odd characters in site left in service maybe (7) 17 Senseless trouble in Vienna initially ignored (5) 18 Retired priest wearing light brown in social venue? (6) 19 Excitement shown by husband amid bird song (6) 22 Woman from Dingwall in dairy to an extent (5) 23 Friend recalled secure part of Scandinavia (7) 24 Specialised hospital put in Mediterranean resort (5) 25 Cause pain to English actor (4) 26 Fellow engaged in last duties represented as unpleasant (11) 29 Medical officer faces struggle in film (5) 30 Lengthily deal with book having come to the end (4,7)

DOWN

1 Lead about upper-class drinking haunt (3) 2 Work with time gone showing disorder? (3) 3 Corrupt trial again faced by first of experts favouring social justice? (11) 4 Robin, perhaps, might enjoy this bet (7) 5 Encroachments in Greek island, we’re told (7) 6 Complete group entertained by Aberdeen director (3) 7 Greek character around right time I cite mostly conforming to linguistic rules? (11) 8 Shape and detail in wings of pretty butterfly (7,4) 12 Team’s hotel demolished around back of wealthy mansion, say (7,4) 13 Physicist beginning to grimace over untidy Glasgow neighbourhood (11) 15 Figure on board, we hear, gets ale for watchful employee? (5-6) 20 It’s used to cut varied coins in Ireland (7) 21 Graceful European worker put below stage (7) 26 Described right away early morning freshness (3) 27 Complaint starts to fluster liberal university (3) 28 Musical note Henry brought up (3)

BENBECULA

See tomorrow’s paper for today’s solutions