CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

Across

1. Second vessel, nearly packed, reaching cape in sad state (12)

8. Cervid found in Canada, Cuba or, amazingly, across India (7)

9. University doctor in Lagos contracted back com plaint (7)

11. Error in a Conservative minister’s office (10)

12. Coastal feature expected to impress navy (4)

14. Deposit Dutch and Ameri can agents in group (8)

16. Small plant botanist culti vated each time goes missing (6)

17. Orwell occasionally pro duced flyer (3)

19. Inscrutable person’s trip to collect ‘Hard Times’ (6)

21. A fine captivating fruit’s

home for young wasp (3,5)

24. Consumer goods are outside for that reason (4)

25. Noticed what could be easily done (4,4,2)

27. Liffey’s banks protecting swimmer’s fund-raiser (7)

28. Composer carefully con siders dropping rate (7)

29. Stop watching TV — it ap pears to frighten kids (4,2,3,3)

Down

1. Fabulous creature Irma swimming in Mediterrane

an (7)

2. Peacekeeping body’s turning out to be inappro priate (10)

3. Develop routine to include new tiny item (8)

4. Open a French part of canal (6)

5. Handle call (4)

6. Figures primarily un known in America (7)

7. He has trouble in Chelsea ground, his weakest place (8,4)

10. A team dines without one head of state, showing partiality (3-9)

13. Burly actor upset charita ble group (6,4)

15. A couple invested in art work (3)

18. Pretentious Delilah had moved, snubbing the Spanish (3-2-3)

20. What golfer may use, I’m told, for a course in early evening (4,3)

22. Where mail’s put after fight? (7)

23. Cleric tours unknown gorge (6)

26. Char top of knotty wood (4)