CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

No 16,389

ACROSS

1 Employees controlling new function create impasse (8) 5 Concealed identity in hotel study (6) 9 New sitcom’s about one displaying fortitude (8) 10 Imprecise amount in Chinese dish (3,3) 12 Some imaginary Christmas visitors once (4) 13 Angry look about gull flying around bow of yacht (5,5) 15 Wild Beatles fans corner me, causing personal humiliation (4-9) 19 Agenda that suggests a hefty do (5,2,3,3) 23 Rowdy clan’s basic accommodation on board (5,5) 25 Press campaign covering fraud (4) 28 Permit a licence to include face conveying emphasis (6) 29 Payment to keep taps running is cut for resident in bank (5,3) 30 Device wrongly tagged (6) 31 Peaceful state, yet siren goes off! (8)

DOWN

1 Oil plant ceases American imports (6) 2 A car keeps going, surrounded by ... (5) 3 ... birds to avoid (4) 4 Fault is in need of repair in passage (7) 6 Spotting, not missing, decoration (5) 7 Find record complete at end of February (9) 8 Put forward Tom and Annie for a change (8) 11 Fine green jumper (4) 14 Obscure rock group (4) 15 Directors go after team’s dresser (9) 16 Scrap what 11 did? (3) 17 Books of Icelandic myths almost summed up (4) 18 Moving about (8) 20 People start to feel fine around lake (4) 21 Home Office to produce prisoner (7) 22 Forge common surname, last of many (6) 24 Sound made by northern French river (5) 26 Dog climbs among big rocks (5) 27 Surrender grain, by the sound of it (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 16,389, 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 58