CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Ernie changes, working to become online matchmaker? (6,6) 8 Where operations are staged? (7) 9 Is dancer Fred able to suppress anger in this card game? (7) 11 Constant evidence of terrified skiers using these? (10) 12 Comments on passing old computing unit (4) 14 VIP attraction on the Thames (3,5) 16 Prudent West pulled out of disastrous Gulf War (6) 17 Maybe notes whiskey commercial (3) 19 Old tax firm returns book (6) 21 Top evergreen contains salt (8) 24 First of intriguing birds I spotted? (4) 25 Words change touring old Kabul, by the sound of it (10) 27 Protective headgear goes over horse, large ... (7) 28 ... youngish English horse in place for driving (7) 29 Teach recruit novel design and construction (12)

DOWN

1 No good pursuing origin of old queen’s affair (7) 2 Following sweet, receive skin treatment (10) 3 Priest almost cut lines about well-known person (8) 4 Provoke old Italian in church (6) 5 Montenegro holds up some of my inheritance (4) 6 Beans go rotten in container at Nag’s Head (7) 7 Regular fellow meets bigwig doing City job (12) 10 I’ll enter army to be trained with these highcalibre soldiers? (12) 13 Mad Aunt Vera tours old university in Edwardian style (3,7) 15 On which pet curls up to drink? (3) 18 Performed first part of play cold — it’s instructive (8) 20 Crossing river, Pooh’s friend set off (7) 22 College had English artist brought in to produce farce (7) 23 Pamper sister regularly in bed (6) 26 Boring stuff turned up in photograph album (4)