CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

8 Still screw up, but not so much (8) 9 Sky sign of approaching bad weather causes slight change in Big Top performance (6) 10 Starlit music offered test of acid rain, perhaps (6) 11 Some cricket played when rain threatened (8) 12 Still one may be found in remote cold region (4) 13 Yard put hands on board to show writing skill (10) 15 Secured entry to signs of approval when returning to mount (7) 17 Builds up to fires roaring in South Pacific (7) 20 To be feeble, you and I knew – as they say in Scotland – to be the ultimate in misery (3,7) 22 Ulster Defence Regiment gets back to us initially in foreign language (4) 24 Creep away – there’s no skiing today (5,3) 26 Shake head in confusion at sign it has been raining (6) 27 Slept noisily, discovering the white stuff almost blood-stained, perhaps (6) 28 Abuse when sick before special outing (3-5)

DOWN

1 Happy face I assumed in comparison (6) 2 Take this to disapprove of poor visibility? (1,3,4) 3 Hopper seen hopping about by girl living underground in winter (10) 4 Cause amazement with a noise surrounding third note (7) 5 Came out on top (4) 6 Should jokes be made about these dangers in ice, for example? (6) 7 Nun: is she out in the brightest of weather? (8) 14 A virus may be a prediction of some freezing weather (1,4,5) 16 Require Heather to be provoking (8) 18 Your old coats next to the skin when storm’s in the air (8) 19 Barometer indicates 7 if rates manipulated (3,4) 21 Needed in driving rain at town on Western Front (so-called) (6) 23 Dermal transformation( to tan, hopefully) seen here by the sea (3,3) 25 University players lose first pair from 9, say (4)