DOUBLE CROSSWORD

Yesterday’s solutions: Across:

- 1 Off the record. 9 Caterer. 10 Tea lady. 11 Apex. 12 Potato chip. 14 Rio Grande. 15 Accra. 17 Salsa. 18 Ornaments. 21 Wildebeest. 23 Pear. 25 Adverbs. 26 Journey. 27 Clapperboard.

- 1 On the boil. 2 Fern. 3 Harpoon. 4 Rat race. 5 Coat of arms. 6 Reach. 7 Eclair. 8 Myopia. 13 Grease trap. 16 Condemned. 17 So what. 18 Oversee. 19 Nose job. 20 Strays. 22 Level. 24 Cuba.

Down: ACROSS

CRYPTIC 1 Poor child has just a shred of clothing and a cupcake (10) 6 Wise men damaging crops (4)

10 Common sir or a savage pirate (7)

11 Acts in a terribly devilish way (7)

12 About iron in a milk bar? (4) 13 Statesmen set conditions for social security (5,4) 16 Routine made cheerleader distinctly nonsexual (8) 17 Mistakes water rat after shaving (6)

19 Smart agent to go without sleep (6)

21 Cheque’s beneficiary had no red bits to make out (8) 24 Insert all parts for a tradesman (9)

25 Tomato and cheese on first type of Mexican food (4) 28 Doctor soothes south African tongue (7)

29 Slash thick American (7) 30 Lost keys to the island (4) 31 Married and clean-living, with god-fearing depression (10)

DOWN

1 Rescue car crashed when circling round track (10) 2 Gaffer attempts to restrain first animal (7)

3 Cry of New Zealand bird with fantail (4)

4 Fake songbird? Don’t worry you about that! (6,2)

5 Crazy to spend a second in mindless surroundings (6) 7 Men wandering through continent in a forgetful state (7)

8 Little distance into the mountain chain (4)

9 Motor seat becoming a sort of private cabin (9)

14 Delicate subject to wear out top hat, too (3,6)

15 Black bird made lousy eating, when very hungry (10) 18 Dunes are blown beneath the waves (8)

20 Immunity may perversely hold outside one’s home (7) 22 Two stages in an argument with an obnoxious person (2-3-2)

23 Recess with a lightheaded bloke (6)

26 One half-sibling in its present condition (2,2) 27 British lion alternately joined conservative alliance (4)