CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 It helps relationships quite matily, in a strange way (7,4) 9 Record one volume, for example (7) 10 Conservative registered wearing wooden shoes? (7) 11 Tree remains (3) 12 Make it a controversial point (4,3) 13 Difficult time to accept husband’s theory (7) 14 European coins lying about in field (3) 15 Priest leaves platform, showing repugnance (5) 17 Troops head back carrying first of milled grain (5) 18 Scenery is upended in places (5) 20 Cleric shortly follows opening of church (5) 22 Senior Mafioso withdraws approval (3) 24 Furtively approach unemployed tucking into drink (5,2) 25 Heads off at first, very nearly stopping cattle disease (7) 26 Best spinner (3) 27 Do they conduct VanessaMae string group? (7) 28 Stories about old books and old coins (7) 29 Support girl touring clubs, not quite the best (6-5)

DOWN

1 Fleet set out twice with wind, showing intelligence (5-10) 2 A very old firm goes round hoarding fruit (7) 3 IT company hosts each member that supports building (1-4) 4 Sailor that regularly visits stormy Caymans (9) 5 Pressmen start to examine mineral deposit (4,3) 6 Battle calls of bands showing promise (10,5) 7 Pulse, fast one, light initially (6) 8 Cutter travelled north to circle it (6) 16 Start to order first of patches with nicotine (9) 18 Oil supplier uses American imports (6) 19 He has doubts about getting into type of tank (7) 21 Make short work of unusual French article (7) 23 Fancy English ship out of the water? (6) 25 Eye it up in old postcard (5)