BRIDGE MASTERCLASS CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

North ♠ A5 ♥ K82 ♦ K854 ♣ A953

South ♠ J72 ♥ A ♦ AQJ93 ♣ KQ82

IN a large tournament, several pairs reached 6♦ on these hands, and they all went down. Can you see why, when trumps break 3-1 and West leads ♥Q? More relevant, how should the contract be made against any defence? SOMETIMES, hands can become optical illusions, when even experienced players can’t see the obvious. There are 12 easy tricks if clubs break, so the problem is clearly that the suit breaks 4-1. Nevertheless, an experienced player should spot the simple endplay position which he/she has available and avoid the small risk of this bad break. Trying to visualise the end position of a deal is an important aspect of declarer play. So see how you get on with this one for tomorrow.

ACROSS

1 Fellow in firm least adapted to make manoeuvre for rescue? (8,4) 8 Acute pain relating to

climbing accessory (7) 9 Cancel visit on holiday (4,3) 11 Man tonight unsettled

in English city (10) 12 Edible starch, source of

sustenance in the past (4) 14 A sentry wandering around entrance to cave for forefathers (8) 16 Significance in brief

period of time (6) 17 Tailless marine creature

in body of water (3) 19 Soldiers in second line

showing dejection (6) 21 Mistake by attendant showing failure to meet deadline? (8) 24 Start to exclude London academic institution otherwise (4) 25 Form of separation near

quaint ground (10) 27 Matching type kilted at

intervals gets to gleam (7) 28 Good actress Krysten in vehicle found on wintry roads? (7) 29 Corrupt guy detaining Latin patron is dangerous antagonist (4,8)

DOWN

1 Panic-stricken Conservative following French opponent (7) 2 Place for mending goods having lost prior shape? (6,4) 3 A German’s upset those

running things? (8) 4 Sugary fluid in new

sort of crate (6) 5 Flower starts to lose its

lustre over year (4) 6 Section of film showing

enemy carrying old label (7) 7 Examine Democrat, a liberal ambassador, in group as source of gossip? (7,5) 10 Mother and father affected

with sincere feeling? (4,3,5) 13 Commune I’d suspect acquiring page in anthology (10) 15 Positive response adopted by intermediary, especially (3) 18 None left by implication?

That’s fairly good (3,5) 20 Unquestioning after forgetting time and showing sign of age? (7) 22 Pilot, a victor, one put

on list of shifts in turn (7) 23 Early part of summer with a

university in Alaskan city (6) 26 Approve Hungarian wine

needing no introduction (4)