CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Use the stairs to make a quick exit (4,6) 6 Dandy has date with suitor ... (4) 10 ... and another dandy had to stretch put on airs (5) 11 Did a leading lady join a ship on the right? (9) 12 In some style, sailors can be up-to-date (6) 13 Is about to rent out top estate, and can get in again (2-5) 15 Fashion, by the way, can be quite unassuming (6) 16 Pore over a dissertation to find a bargain (8) 19 Upset that staff changes could affect amount of trade (4,4) 21 Had to lock up fellow with an automatic

weapon (6) 24 Time-out for boy to be discharged (7) 26 Put emphasis on the pitch, in a manner of speaking (6) 28 Head off to single recess by the fireside (5-4) 29 Took a top legislator to former president, all the same (5) 30 Find access to the entrance is by turnstile (4) 31 Correspond with some soldiers, at the end, to make pacts (10)

DOWN

1 Throw up on the way to board ship (4) 2 Stay in command to uphold the peace (4,5)

HUGH JOHNSON 3 May have to make trifles by using colanders (7) 4 Was put in small hospital. It’s crazy (6) 5 There’s plenty space overhead in the rector’s study (8) 7 Demand old performance, to be precise (5) 8 Assume, with reason, that one will get the picture (10) 9 Was missing sailor transferred, at the end? (6) 14 Get a small amount, in good order, but has little knowledge (10) 17 Pay heed to a military command (9) 18 It’s rash for principal to set his sights on something (8) 20 Was in the wrong group from the start (6) 22 A cold call may merit some applause (7) 23 Equipment needed to pin down the French (6) 25 In the past, was mining other lump of precious metal (5) 27 Vital statistics, initially, of low-lying islands (4)