CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

No 17,205

ACROSS

1 Waiting in front of dull

type of residence (7,4) 9 Professional entertainer

rates it poorly (7) 10 Captivate English conservationists and prince? About right (7) 11 One succeeding on

radio broadcast (3) 12 Key part of recent rallies (7) 13 Group to assess reportedly passage between rows of seats (7) 14 Positive response from lady especially? Not altogether (3) 15 Essentially omit academic

fellow as figure in field? (3-2) 17 Musical group has complaint about lack of online facilities? (5) 18 Minister almost

totally interferes (5) 20 Solemnly promise introduction to summer sport (5) 22 Hard party overturned

thing to carry bricks (3) 24 Introduce ambassador

inside devastated ruins (5,2) 25 Note a tenor in support

for singer Pat (7) 26 Fine line bordering a

West Country river (3) 27 Letter is scathing

overlooking first trio (7) 28 Granted and sanctified

with no end of rush (7) 29 Place to learn when

in a dim state? (5,6)

DOWN

1 Aim for things so-so

teen’s got wrong (3,4,6,2) 2 Sort to shift odd stand

for a speaker (7) 3 Perfect introduction

by a negotiator? (5) 4 Urgent situation mostly with onset of epidemic appearing (9) 5 Permit to share in element found in Spanish city (3,2,2) 6 Give up feature of football supported by terribly wet lot, eh? (5,2,3,5) 7 Slogan, something to rally

those in action? (3,3) 8 Conduct oneself in appeal after dramatic work (4,2) 16 Decontaminate section in following city in distance (half obscured) (9) 18 Victoria, say, has expression of surprise that’s refined (6) 19 What internet fans do is appearing (with account deleted) (7) 21 Footballer is skipper hosting Northern lad somehow (7) 23 Jeer at those on the margins of definitive trip (6) 25 Chef Raymond in dash leaving Spain to enter British Columbia (5)