SUPER CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

3 A tidy number in good shape (4,6)

8 The state of a hat (6)

9 Many a youngster’s appearance when dressed (4)

10 It’s a big bone of contention when the officer is a woman (5,5)

11 One’s out of time (3)

13 Bob’s desire to be a comic (4)

14 Chris Lloyd originally getting on the team (7)

15 Pole strikes back (4)

17 Church to fold when there’s change (5) 20 Takes in the undulating countryside (5) 22 Girl in glasses perhaps a bluestocking (4)

24 Girl holding fashionable stone (7) 25 Tim’s rewritten a Tommy Handley show (4)

27 The bird’s a dish (3)

28 Keep a firm grip (10)

29 River flowing through a pretty neighbourhood (4)

30 Old cue’s being bent might be one’s reason for not doing well (6)

31 Main means of getting people from A to B (5,5)

DOWN

1 Butler following a Pole around – it’s a metaphor (8)

2 Conditionally release a labourer outside (6)

3 States a fellow is about over (7)

4 In Madagascar is expected to crop up (5) 5 Confront a leading forensic expert (4)

6 It’s a drag being down below (8) 7 Smoothing things over with the Sunday Times (8)

12 Does, perhaps, turn on Oliver (4)

14 Lover boy hurting back (4)

16 Light, soft drink (4)

17 The rightful Duke of Milan’s correct about the way around (8)

18 Sweet sound made by the friend he and mum left (8)

19 It’s very wrong to be upset (4)

21 Untitled work about Englishman getting not so much backing (8)

23 The spider and the fly (7)

25 One way wine may be pawned (2,4) 26 Boy standing up in school (5)

28 A swimmer’s close (4)