GENERAL KNOWLEDGE CROSSWORD

ACROSS

6 Caroline, actress who played Dorothy in the TV sitcom Men Behaving Badly (7) 7 Mennonite Christian community in the U.S. noted for shunning modern technology (5) 9 An oven for drying or baking corn, hops, bricks or pottery (4) 10 An open compartment for storing and classifying papers or leaving post (10) 11 ____ enquiry, official examination of evidence after a horse race to assess possible rule violations (8) 13 The sea stack the Old Man of Hoy is a feature of this island group (6) 15 A large water jug with a wide spout (4) 17 ____ House, novel by Charles Dickens whose characters include Esther Summerson and John Jarndyce (5) 18 ____ Turner, U.S. singer noted for the 1984 album Private Dancer (4) 19 ____ Platini, French exfootballer who was UEFA President from 2007 to 2015 (6) 20 Colloquial term for a practice exercise or rehearsal (5,3) 23 Becoming foul or losing quality through stillness or inertia (10) 26 ____ McGregor, Scottish actor who played the title character in the 2018 comedy fantasy film Christopher Robin (4) 27 Darragh, Chaser nicknamed The Menace who joined TV quiz show The Chase in 2020 (5) 28 Surname of U.S. musician Beyoncé (7)

DOWN

1 Alfred, butler and aide-de-camp to Batman played on screen by Michael Caine and Jeremy Irons (10) 2 Lethargy or a condition of impaired consciousness, often induced by alcohol or drugs (6) 3 A hidden obstacle or drawback (4) 4 Tree in Sherwood Forest that was the legendary meeting-place for Robin Hood and his men (5,3) 5 Buddy, U.S. jazz drummer and bandleader born in 1917 (4) 6 A thick coverlet or bedcover (5) 8 Hans ____ the Younger, German painter noted for his 1533 work The Ambassadors featuring a distorted skull at the front (7) 12 Sam, U.S. golfer born in 1912 nicknamed The Slammer and noted for his straw hat and folksy humour (5) 14 Character in EastEnders played by Gillian Taylforth (5,5) 16 Term in Cockney rhyming slang for a suit (7) 17 A creamy, mild white Italian cheese whose name is Italian for ‘beautiful country’ (3,5) 21 A very small freshwater fish or a tiny, unimportant person or organisation (6) 22 Mountain range in western Russia (5) 24 The basic unit of heredity in living organisms (4) 25 Jacky, Belgian ex-Formula One racing driver who won the 24 Hours of Le Mans six times (4)

SOLUTION ON MONDAY