FACTFINDER’S CROSSWORD

Dear Reader,

As a result of the coronavirus pandemic we are suspending competition entries for all our prize crosswords. Puzzles will continue to appear as normal but no entries will be accepted or prizes given.

We hope to return to normal as soon as possible.

The solution to this week’s Factfinder crossword will appear next Saturday as usual.

Stay safe!

Joy Yates, Editorial Director

Across 8

The daughter of Oedipus in Greek mythology

(8)

9 J von __ (1803 - 73), German scientist seen as

a pioneer of organic chemistry (6)

10 Australian state capital (pop 200,000),

founded as a penal colony in 1804 (6)

11 Evergreen shrub native to North America, a

species of holly (8)

12 A hard ornamental stone, typically green (4) 13 Minerals belonging to the garnet group (10) 15 A spray of flowers penned to a woman's

clothes (7)

17 Relating to a European country (173,860 sq miles; pop 11 million), a member of the EU since 1995 (7)

20 In the recent past (10)

22 A paving block of stone or wood (4)

24 Costume jewellery made of glass (8)

26 A card game for two players, originating in

France (6)

27 The first US space station (1973 to 74) (6) 28 Declared invalid, or reduced to nothing (8)

Down 1

Country in southern Africa (481,400 sq miles;

pop about 33 million, since 1975 (6)

2 Slender towers, typically part of a mosque (8) 3 __ Abbey, a novel by Jane Austen (1817) (10) 4 A melodic embellishment (mus) (7)

5 Anti-aircraft fire (4)

6 Citizen of a country in the Middle East

(214,000 sq miles; pop about 3 million) (6) 7 Male hawks (8)

14 City in the southern USA (pop about

400,000), founded in 1718 (3,7)

16 Tall, four-sided tapering pillars (8)

18 Benjamin __ (1804 81), Tory politician who was Prime Minister twice (1868 and 1874 -1880) (8)

19 Capital of a country in western Asia (11,484 sq miles; pop 3 million), independent since 1991 (7)

21 A highly seasoned Mexican dish (6)

23 Cockney rhyming slang for a hat (6)

25 The jacks in a game of cribbage (4)