CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Cutlery item for which a bird gets a bill (5)

6 For which you need a partner in attendance? (5)

9 Can tire badly, to be sure (7) 10 Bill is in this, maybe as tenor (5)

11 Virginia is just about sick of the house! (5)

12 It goes round in loops (5) 13 Makes loud noises like puffers (7)

15 A serviceable stopper (3) 17 Issue the time to return (4) 18 Take a small measure, note, before a larger one (6) 19 One player’s remark ignored by others (5)

20 Bad smell of fish at Spithead (6)

22 If returning twice to get the girl (4)

24 Sailor found among vegetarians (3)

25 Had he skill in bridge? (7) 26 A youngster takes it to be an outdated measure (5) 27 Agents getting food at the Saracen’s Head (5)

28 Old writer never without a plot (5)

29 Pointed outcome of medical research (7)

30 Around the end of June, Fred was released (5)

31 They change colour (5)

DOWN

2 Abbreviated just for now (3,3)

3 Secretive lout thrown out of the cricket club (6) 4 French born (3)

5 You can take them up a ladder (5) 6 Something unionists don’t believe in? (7)

7 Vanilla extract with colourful possibilities (4)

8 Ring some reservists? (4,2) 12 Social leader with desire to be fashionable (5)

13 For an animal, one has the finest around (5) 14 Brown is a survivor (5) 15 Keep in shape so as to suit? (5)

16 The beer drinker may take it in hand (5)

18 Take up, when likely to be out of the party (5) 19 Account number used or charged (7) 21 Interfere with the packer? (6)

22 Pretty sick, being among the lesser swimmers (6) 23 Quicker to make a fatheaded bloomer (6)

25 Join the session when there’s something wrong about it (3,2)

26 Grant an unprecedented share (4)

28 Go softly, as when pussyfooting (3)