CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

No. 16,263

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 16263, 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 datestamped 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 62.

ACROSS

6 Red card issued to departing troops? (8,6) 9 Board recruits college physicist (6) 10 Writer, for example, lives in English Street (8) 11 Sack everyone including British bundle of energy (8) 13 Payment to release Romans out of order (6) 15 Tiny orderly brings in 500 litres (6) 17 SW resort tries to dispense with rubbish initially (2,4) 19 Ejects two Americans tackling standard English (6) 20 Sort of tirade involving one bishop? Could be (8) 22 Lofty’s form of address? (8) 24 Hard to see American quitting post in Depression (6) 26 Put down story that should generate some interest (7,7)

DOWN

1 Long tract? Illness meant it had to be amended (5,9) 2 Architect’s flyer (4) 3 Caught one throwing part of ballgame (6) 4 Stays attached to this Cockney character one abandoned (8) 5 Churn coloured back to front (4) 7 Sewer that transmits sounds (6) 8 Job inspires boy nervous about books (14) 12 Church leader upset group of retired lecturers (5) 14 Sailors turn up to rescue First Lady? No way (5) 16 Record European tune from the south that’s infectious (8) 18 Postcodes, say, covering Black Sea port (6) 21 Kidnap sailor on the tube (6) 23 Jump over ring such as this? (4) 25 What Lions do to victim in loose scrum? (4)