CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS 1 Painting over; two Poles perform on Sunday; and does the business (9) 6 Might a second officer use echo-sounding equipment? (5) 9 Greek character records one line on the end (7) 10 Signed on after the first eleven goes up (5,2) 11 Reckon to get ahead, in order to go over the main points (3,2) 12 Moderate politician entered a driving off point at speed (9) 13 Old rebel had little time for his younger son (5) 14 Bert held up over Europe, and talked nonsense (9) 17 To find two regiments at a match is most unusual (4,5) 19 May be left on the other side by a sweetheart (5) 21 Duty-bound to be in authority in the main (2,3,4) 24 Goes off up north, having left in stormy weather ... (5) 26 ... and hangs about, having left members of a choir leaderless (7) 27 Did right-back take advantage of all his hard work? (7) 28 Doctor, for example, had square grounds (5) 29 Settles down with fish for young birds (9)

DOWN 1 Other ranks may end up with an unhappy outcome, we’re told (5) 2 Pretended to have taken responsibility, as expected (7) 3 At last, Peter produced some fertiliser (9) 4 An officer may have to deal with prisoners on board (9) 5 Produce power from waste ammunition (5) 6 Although not strong, can stifle a point of view 5) 7 Reads about one president, and can only give up hope (7) 8 Not in favour of an offer, but he’s in the frame (9) 13 After summary is cut short, followed up to be made even shorter (9) 15 Reckons to have some ballpark figures for valuations (9) 16 A sacred chalice may be highly sought after (4,5) 18 Company designed one tureen, in train (7) 20 Common criminal may feel at home, in the end (7) 22 Smooth things out, on balance, getting a fair starting price (5) 23 Someone’s sent off to a place in Germany (5) 25 Auctions off drink found on board ship (5)