Cryptic Crossword

SOLUTION

ACROSS: 1 Ticket office. 8 Lobster. 9 Flotsam. 11 Three-piece. 12 Kiev. 14 Alter ego. 16 Hobnob. 17 Spy. 19 Hoopla. 21 Titivate. 24 Near. 25 Eccles cake. 27 Slither. 28 Illness. 29 Make the grade.

DOWN: 1 Tabaret. 2 Cathedrals. 3 Earnings. 4 Office. 5 Frog. 6 Cushion. 7 Slot machines. 10 Movable feast. 13 Tonic sol-fa. 15 Opt. 18 Yielding. 20 Ocarina. 22 Academe. 23 Scorch. 26 Shoe.

ACROSS:

6 Bricks maybe, and what they’re for? (8,6)

9 Navy stripped English earl to exact retribution (6)

10 In the past arts centre in county created composition (8)

11 Compliant workers with sailor taking beer outside (8)

13 Schoolchildren are so stretched, one might say (6)

15 Mother’s kind (6)

17 Wet nurse formerly drank rum (6)

19 Purchase mushrooms as stated — they supply strength (6)

20 Indian city managed to recruit one cultivating land (8)

22 A new record in 15 at regular intervals isn’t digital (8)

24 Nonentity’s reason for acquitting murder suspect? (6)

26 What OU offers TUC holding editor in high regard (5,9)

DOWN:

1 Bovine men do eat messily, as previously stated (5-9)

2 Family accept large oven (4)

3 Notice very short book there, for instance (6)

4 A container is taken into office primarily from the start (2,6)

5 Top prelate’s a poet (4)

7 Pinch the Spanish metal (6)

8 Unusually, Ken isn’t charged for local vegetable sources (7,7)

12 Inert compound that’s used in gunpowder ( 5)

14 Hundreds controversially ignore NHS milk supplier (5)

16 Swapping tips, designer handed in notice (8)

18 Withdraw label on Parisian drink and dessert (6)

21 Scarper having missed a taxi here (6)

23 Initially like one officer’s gentle rhythm (4)

25 Old racing car crosses international border (4)