Crossbar
No 1,565
ACROSS
1 Scottish track star running into first place in 34 across (5,4)
8 News item about being left in harbour (6)
10 Cut a tree back to bear fruit (5) 12 Awards for winners on the track, like 1 across (4,6)
15 Go away quickly from Norwich, Ipswich and Peterborough, initially (3)
16 Talk in low tones about a mongrel, with little hesitation (6) 17 Wrong team penalised for infringement on the pitch (7) 19 Took in some of the Gateshead team (3)
21 Aim for success in the championships, on the track and the pitch (5,4)
22 Could be the winning movement, after accelerating (7,4)
26 A tree’s cultivated for a Spring festival (6)
29 Correspond with a Spartan player, endlessly (5)
30 In pristine condition in Badminton, perhaps (4)
32 As many as 20 hit the back of the net, as it were (5)
33 Fed up, at last, having to resist attacks (6)
34 A capital venue for athletics championships (6)
DOWN
2 Competing in heavy events can be quite enhancing (9)
3 Pole started out at Reading, Oldham and Derby (3)
4 Scimitar, at the end, was put away in a cessation of hostilities (9) 5 Cross with an athlete, say, going at one pace (5) 6 Implant needed by popular group of players (5)
7 Get an academic qualification at some stage (6)
9 One could be upset for a very long time (3)
11 In the last month, one competed in a multi-event contest (3) 12 Scottish venue for championships in various sports (7)
13 Old Czech runner taking part in the mile race (4)
14 Failure, at the end, for fellow in US ranch ... (4)
18 ... and come across one fellow returning on new day (4)
19 Top marks earned by players at Aberdeen, Alloa and Annan, initially (3)
20 Grand mansion for an English Premier team (6)
23 Want new runner from the northeast to come back (4) 24 Contests found at all the Highland gatherings (5)
25 Wear down some of the rodeo stars (5)
27 Top striker fit to turn out on the screen, maybe (4)
28 Neat arrangement for a fiery mount in Europe (4)
31 Target for a top striker, but not a tennis player (3)
Winner of the £30 Love To Shop vouchers last week was June Watt, Queens Hill Drive, Aboyne.
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.