CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS 1 Did second court case have new authority? (8) 5 About to come up short, regardless (6) 9 May be on track to instruct younger group (5,3) 10 Interfere with gold, silver or bronze, we hear (6) 12 Cut up valued fabric at the start (9) 13 Follow behind the rest on first tartan track (5) 14 Heard that a poisonous substance prompted an alarm call (6) 17 Train for a hard race with 16 down, as in 26 down (5) 20 Movement in work by a royal type, initially (2,3) 21 Did Ulster manage to get the outcome it wanted? (6) 24 Reckon toddler got out of bed (3,2) 25 A new form of military support held back in store (2,7) 28 Hit out at a form of industrial action (6) 29 Have to parcel it out to find a minute piece of matter (8) 30 Still, not in the least 15 down (6) 31 Vessel intended to drop of a consignment (8)

DOWN 1 May have to pay up to find somewhere to put down roots (6) 2 Thorn in the side is removed with some delicacy (6) 3 Might a singer object to bearing burden (5) 4 Girl left furious by something having a smell (5) 6 Choose an examination relating to the people’s choice (9) 7 Did country provide staff for large trading vessel in the past? (8) 8 Let hasty operation go undercover (8) 11 An academic may be a handsome chap (6) 15 Frank can be forthright, as a matter of fact (9) 16 Rack one’s brain, and make a supreme effort for the family (6) 18 Prisoner tries to compete with them (8) 19 Provincial clergyman took a final call (8) 22 Old 18 down, singularly, on line was a revelation (6) 23 Have a modest family tree, without opening up scandal (6) 26 Arrive at a stretch of a stream, as in 17 across (5) 27 Establish if one’s ready to go to university (3,2)