CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 It’s towed when one vehicle’s behind another (7)

5 Quality protection surrounds political party (7)

9 Arab blesses deposition of mobs (7) 10 Grandmother takes sovereign to old Chinese city (7)

11 Test alternator in self-propelled 1 (9) 12 Jellied meat gets fine Scottish name (5) 13 Composer writes last letter in catalogue (5) 15 International traders are former baggagehandlers (9)

16 Unexpectedly encounters what future babies are enthusiastic about (5,4) 18 Place to rest when mother left land of Western Isles (5)

21 Derisive about island yacht initially arrived at (5)

22 Cheques that haven’t gone through pawnbroker _ he’s a communist (9) 24 Toast, perhaps, offers no portion for eating (7)

26 Thug and anarchist hide native of African country (7)

27 Overwhelmed by renovated mews pad (7) 28 Keeps a tight rein on the rest when worried (7)

DOWN

1 Sweet meal cooked on leaving coach (7) 2 Discounts on scary motel (7)

3 One who curses heads off, being even more disgusting (5)

4 We hear piano tuner knows his skill is needed to get right _ everything possible’s done (2,5,8)

5 For criminal to incite old female to make advances is an offence (8,2,5) 6 Nothing can flow up waterfall (3) 7 Troops heard to give help to ship (7) 8 Machines that take us away from tipsy Guinness (7)

12 Acid used to treat burns, body odour and onset of rickets (5)

14 Impatient to finish survey following trial (5) 16 Hip boss reorganises church dignitaries (7) 17 Chocolate bar like wine (7)

19 Make briefer arrangement for 7 (7) 20 Squirrels etc got wildly stoned after going to Centre Parks (7)

23 Praises additional keyboard function (5) 25 One representative is mischievous youngster (3)