CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

Across

1. Crush illegal scheme striker used in court (6,6) 8. Arctic meat business, top-class, wraps a bone (7) 9. Rock formation exposed by harvest (7) 11. Neighbourhood pub race, needle match (5,5) 12. Wine when it gets sent back (4) 14. Dublin policeman grabs eastern Northern Irish shrub (8) 16. Board European vessel carrying doctor (6) 17. Port and whiskey (3) 19. Clout produces pain in court (6) 21. Gnarled tree in Troy’s outskirts that’s timeless (8) 24. Hideout for Scottish landowner? Not entirely (4) 25. Europeans arranged to welcome five stars (10) 27. His boy worried about blackhead, like all surly youths (7) 28. Radiator in France Mitterrand imported (7) 29. Does scarring split timber like this? (5-7)

Down

1. Run under tree to get trimmer (7) 2. A French ale impresses vile wayward atheist (10) 3. Keepsake may make you envious by the end of winter (8) 4. House doctor in Rhode Island creating lozenges (6) 5. Groups of actors abandon special musical (4) 6. Land mass disturbed sea-air round tip of Corfu (7) 7. English firm clearly using green system? (12) 10. Knotty vegetables curb resistance in cacti (7,5) 13. Native statesman makes a great circle across north (10) 15. Positive response, as you’d expect initially (3) 18. Local character touring Crete worked among others (8) 20. Ivy, say, is supple after exercises in middle (7) 22. Provoked, unlike gate-crashers (7) 23. Clam which in Paris isn’t finished by a glutton (6) 26. Notice the absence of girl (4)