JULY 21 CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS 1. Leader’s top joys were dashed

after call (6,6) 9. Tense Giant at hearing (7) 10. Select a new keyboard

instrument (7) 11. Part of a letter shoots back (5) 12. Slow down a measure upon

hearing surge ahead (9) 13. Trail, holding foot in racing

tactic (8) 15. Playing organ, a longhair?

(6) 17. Soup label penned by mystery

writer (6) 19. Bike’s low spots catch in reverse

(3-5) 22. Limit rate, altering race (4,5) 23. Drank to excess, back in station

(5) 26. One among Riviera town’s dogs

(7) 27. Something that circles or

something that nips (7) 28. Reverie about our excellent

bike race (4,2,6)

DOWN 1. Still lives with Bigfoot’s cousins (5) 2. Downhill racer’s weapon (5) 3. Confused operator donning

costume (3,2,2) 4. Risky venture, 007 following

Chinese boat (4,4) 5. Squash equipment noise (6) 6. Some leather Nike sent back

worn by golfer Ernie (7) 7. In one piece, a circle cut out with

a shop tool? (2,1,5) 8. State hurt Dylan badly (8) 13. Measurer wrecked it: PC disk

(8) 14. Shakespeare’s Athenian in

whatever element (8) 16. Kudos for Mr. Bean in “Married

and Single” (4,4) 18. Developed an interest in sticky

stuff injected with colour (3,4) 20. Seabird flying around conference

at court (7) 21. That woman outside is second

boobird (6) 24. Russian president entered a

harbour (5) 25. Rich dessert, right in bag (5)