CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

Across

1. Like old brickwork, fences or felt possibly (12)

8. None sharper than this copper during a trial (7) 9. Spot trainee reporter returning strong material (7)

11. Egyptian king twice can start to gripe, showing disapproval (3-7) 12. Penniless pair steal rings (4)

14. Scattered fir cones relating to criminal investigation (8)

16. Mafia scouts conceal pig’s ear (6)

17. Mate’s stake reduced (3) 19. Quietly go off to play at water’s edge (6)

21. Drink one to suppress bone disease (8)

24. Be jealous of English ace leaving service (4)

25. Bad soaking ruined cookery ingredient (6,4) 27. Hesitant dipping aluminium container in mercury (7)

28. Stupid dog with no lead is brought back inside (7) 29. Where privates are out of order? (5,3,4)

Down

1. Line on map nearly identical to radius (7)

2. Often bizarrely queer books are seen during Zoom (10)

3. Leave behind exterior clothing (8)

4. Earl, doctor and (briefly) knight build wall (6) 5. Prepare to fire boss of farmyard? (4)

6. Tense students gather over ground (7)

7. It could be a substantive section of address (4,2,6) 10. Newspaper pics lead to reflections (6,6)

13. It’s said to lift all boats desiring it somehow (6,4) 15. Taxi’s roughly black (3) 18. Left with musical note, some magicians do it (8) 20. Reveal full age occasionally entering seedy joint (7) 22. Self-obsessed type obtained one in East Street (7)

23. Students are so stretched, by the sound of it (6)

26. Try to collect Irish income support (4)