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)

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)

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.

Down: 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.