CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS 1 Support team that’s behind (8) 5 A medic circles bed briefly, showing poise (6) 9 Boy king cracks jokes in his Sunday best (4,4) 10 Engineer cried about English driver’s spray in winter (2-4) 12 Shields a rare manuscript (4) 13 Big town with everything, including a very good insulator (6,4) 15 Lethal seat of power (8,5) 19 Greeting superb PM (4,9) 23 On top of that, singer keeps book cleaner (10) 25 Run downhill around a Munro (4) 28 Nick has most of this the night before (6) 29 Top athlete: ‘I’m only running with a pacemaker at first’ (8) 30 Work on other side of river to a great extent (6) 31 Spooner’s turf mound that acts as a fridge (4,4)

DOWN 1 One who scrounges, say, gallons in pub (6) 2 Charles originally made a profound difference (5) 3 Channel island swimmer avoiding harbour (4) 4 Trap suspect cargo within limits of Detroit (7) 6 Shame about European deference (5) 7 Repair canoe and win one more time (4,5) 8 Ridiculously large ruby earl pinched in crime (8) 11 Bird kept interfering with ibis initially (4) 14 Dairy product supplied by cafe taverna (4) 15 I once worked with some nuts to save money (9) 16 Whisky or old port? (3) 17 Officer arresting husband fell (4) 18 Beaten silver I had impresses gallery (8) 20 Piece of ground for horse racing (4) 21 Decide to do this crossword again? (7) 22 Carry off and put up in bed (6) 24 Left resort at the start it’s not a nice place to live (5) 26 Cube covered in gold is the last word (5) 27 Small tailless dog that’s offensive (4)

NEED A CLUE? Text TIP to 65700 to receive FOUR answers to today’s crossword, or call 0901 293 6236. Texts and calls cost £1 plus standard network charges. Today’s clues available between 00.01 today and 23.30 only.

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 16269, 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+, exc NI. Terms apply, see Page 62.