DAILY PUZZLES PAGE

ACROSS

1 Half of beer and cooked tea free - not veggie? (9) 9 Moment of truth for champ (6) 10 Flight approaching landing area (9) 11 Guide accompanies cortège partway (6) 12 Guard in red gear possibly (9) 13 Being shy baulk before start of encounter (6) 17 Leaders of oppressed nations expect unity (3) 19 Gunners in front of ship showing various colours... (7) 20 ...ship with tackle in ruin? (7) 21 Tolerate faulty service (3) 23 Magician’s part of summer line-up (6) 27 Fool being hacked hit out (9) 28 Tacky material adversely affecting audition (6) 29 Flan Emile cooked at home (2,7) 30 Having high-pitched voice he misses lower parts (6) 31 Information withheld by a railway clerk (9)

DOWN

2 Former spouse gets wrong milk (6) 3 King seized by frightful creature in China (6) 4 Slot machines are entertaining scoundrel (6) 5 Exotic sea bird from orient (7) 6 Bistro needs support, one sinking near to end (9) 7 UN on tree planting upbeat, at first not in favour (9) 8 Gossip about madman with hesitation (9) 14 Musician in rut - temper terrible (9) 15 Copying Dynasty bagging Rolls, yellow one (9) 16 Bowing and scraping in case flipping gong’s on (9) 17 Essential to blow loud hooter (3) 18 First to fight expects trouble, drunk as a newt (3) 22 Moving north-east he can improve (7) 24 Fancy, girl head over heels? The opposite (6) 25 I believe robbery carries time (6) 26 Suffer in rising corruption, he’ll fit you up (6)