PORTRAIT: THE CRYPTIC:
ACROSS
1. Top music group, Bandanna (8)
5. Harm Italian male couple (6) 10. Students of humanity – but they make excuses about the rugged north! (15)
11. Hung around, but supported (5,2)
12. Nolan needs a rope for his dinghy (7)
13. Broadcast with a doctor’s group – it goes back to alcoholic drink! (3,5)
15. Soldier with 2000 English – a certain win! (5)
18. Local official – it’s about the first lady (5)
20. Become an insect, they said –
but it’s huge! (8)
23. Rodent that rambles in New
Orleans (7)
25. A swindle – observe, signify an addition to the original meaning (7)
26. Insider liaisons, perhaps – the responsibility of Peter Dutton? (8,7)
27. Stick the compiler, they say –
it’s just too dark! (6)
28. Refuges for the woman, 50,
with disturbed rest (8)
DOWN
1. The man, a bum, carries the dead (6)
2. Writer is English – make it official (9)
3. Tedium in the bedroom (7) 4. Must be a cold crab! (5) 6. Making faces while bashing and robbing victims (7) 7. Possession of idiot alien (5) 8. Books of parks and recreation areas (8)
9. Hit and run – careless! (8)
14. Genuine about arse? Prove the
contrary! (8)
16. Remote, obscure – it has energy, a shooting star! (9) 17. Vehicle with a bell – or hiking (8)
19. Tedious hesitation, complained Spooner – but you need it to listen (7)
21. Paying attention, but attempting mild fun (7)
22. Catches sight – or sound, or
smell, for that matter (6)
24. Drunk, to be under (5)
25. Cold, but reckless – a collision!
(5)
Solution next week