Crossbar
No 1,563
ACROSS
1 About to widen ties with second test-playing team (4,6)
7 Neat outcome from a fixed poker stake (4)
8 Brave bowler took on former Yorkshire and England allrounder (4)
11 Might tourists have time for composer to join the French runners? (10)
12 Dreadful ride around Goodwood, for instance. Just like 20 down (4) 13 After Pole’s trained up, he runs with long strides (5)
15 Go downhill fast right at the end, on the margin (5)
16 Run off with container for the Ashes (3)
17 Leading figure in company at Chelsea, Everton and Oldham, initially (4)
18 Made a good catch, and scored a goal too (6)
19 They tend the beds, but can throw up grenades, right near the end (9)
21 Top striker is a family member, in short (3)
23 Some misleading comments about Bute, Lewis, etc (4) 24 Does Woods have to run about to outshine the others? (10)
29 Tests cut back before the pits (8) 30 At short notice, had a choice
before making an acquisition (8) 31 When one’s expected to arrive in the Taunton course (3)
DOWN
1 Cleaning up with a heavy weight at a NFL team (10)
2 Do they go all out to score on the pitch? (8)
3 Rip up some, at any rate (4) 4 Have run in sevens at a Thistle venue (9)
5 A couple of trainees were feeling under the weather (3)
6 They may be 11 across in a coach, but do little for the team (10) 8 Attend Exeter and Norwich, initially, but are defeated (6) 9 Cast a shadow over Delaware with part of the mass media (7) 10 Rightback finishes up on swings, as it were (6)
13 Left a period of instruction. Not many came afterwards (5) 14 Wrong dismissal, no doubt (3) 17 Raced over first vehicle, and got it into shape (6) 20 Desperate doncaster started to get cross. Just like 12 across (4) 22 Is Indian tea from China not popular? (3)
25 One with self-confidence in the
goalmouth (3) 26 Made some noise in as tea ding,
perhaps (3)
27 Single can be enough to get in the
money (3)
28 Soaked through in Walsall, Elgin
and Torquay, initially (3) There were no winners of the £30 Love To Shop vouchers last week Entries to: Crossbar competition, The Scotsman, 30 Queensferry Road, Edinburgh EH4 2HS. The winner’s name and solution will be published next Monday. The Scotsman Publications Ltd employees and their families are not eligible. The Editor’s decision is final.