SUPER CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Contest in which the teams draw (3-2-3) 5 Impassive when I lost badly the day after (6)

9 Happen to drop by (4,4)

10 Forms fungoid growths (6)

12 A half-broken pair of spectacles found inside, in the bathroom (6)

13 The so-and-so is out! (8)

15 Ray, by the sound of it? (6,2,4)

18 Where the umbrella is to go is hard to understand (4,4,4)

23 Reveals one’s losing one’s grip? (4,4) 24 Hardly fear catching cold! (6) 26 Composition from a famous author: an essay (6)

27 Of course, it’s why one requires proof (2,2,4)

28 Are prepared and set sail in spring (6) 29 The smartest is ordered for the bedroom (8)

Yesterday’s solutions: Across:

- 1 Back again. 6 Start. 9 Ounce. 10 Supporter. 11 Moon-flower. 12 Undo. 14 Stalled. 15 Seethes. 17 Antibes. 19 Stories. 20 Mark. 22 Aid and abet. 25 Dashboard. 26 Ovule. 27 Canoe. 28 Scratches.

- 1 Broom. 2 Consonant. 3 Ace of clubs. 4 Abscond. 5 Nippers. 6 Stop. 7 Anton. 8 Tortoises. 13 Second post. 14 Spasmodic. 16 Hair-brush. 18 Spirals. 19 Slander. 21 Risen. 23 Tiers. 24 Able.

Down: DOWN

1 For a second, the loose ends touch one lightly (6)

2 Play the returned convict the mob wrongly imprisoned (6)

3 Measurement, perhaps, of the hole the gate is made for (7)

4 The top ten, copy previously (4)

6 Gave the impression of having been removed (4,3)

7 Lounge about and I have a soft drink: It’s very sweet (8)

8 Intended, indeed, to be an indication (8) 11 A white lady for monsieur? (7)

14 An unusual case with a twitch and he’s most austere (7)

16 Copes, somehow, when all go to pieces in the smash-up (8)

17 Jumpy when you work for longer stretches? (8)

19 Keep note (7)

20 “An American coin,” I interjected, “and old” (7)

21 Kick for game (6)

22 Points with which one equalises (6) 25 She’s turned the ring completely round (4)

Find the phrase, saying or name in this arrrangement of letters

WHOM DO YOU TRUST?

Cy the Cynic says there sure aren’t as many banks with “Trust” in their name as there used to be.

When Cy played at today’s 6NT, West led the ten of diamonds, and East took the king and returned a diamond. Cy won with the jack and had three spade tricks, three hearts and three diamonds. He needed three clubs. Cy led a spade to dummy and returned a club: five, queen ... eight from West. The Cynic eyed that card suspiciously but finally decided the eight was a true card. He went to dummy and led the jack of clubs, hoping to pin the ten. But East’s king covered, and when West produced the four, Cy went down.

Falsecard

West found a good falsecard, but Cy shouldn’t have trusted an opponent. After the Cynic’s queen of clubs wins, he can take his heart winners, the queen of diamonds, two more spades and the ace of diamonds. Cy will find that East had six hearts, two diamonds and three spades, so at most two clubs. Cy can then lead low to his ace of clubs, knowing the king will fall.

Daily Question You hold:

♠ 9 6 2 ♥ 9 8 7 6 3 2 ♦ K4 ♣ K 5. Your partner opens one diamond, you bid one heart and he jumps to three clubs. What do you say?

Opener’s jump-shift is forcing to game, so you must act. To try three hearts would be reasonable, but some players would be averse to rebidding such a mangy suit. Bid three diamonds. Your hand is not hopeless; you have useful honors in partner’s suits. If he bids 3NT next, wish him luck.

Answer: South dealer Both sides vulnerable