CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

3 Hide away where half of us get new hats (5)

8 Land of initially weak beers? (5)

10 A charge exists for hiring them (5)

11 A mined extract of platinum (3)

12 Nominally, she’s not without grey matter (5)

13 A little girl meant to ramble in the country (7)

15 A frame in the artist’s studio (5)

18 Fishy ingredient for stuffing (3)

19 A head unearthed in the garden? (6)

21 Kid a communist it’s a dance (7)

22 Behind the right ear (4) 23 He’s said to have given Abel ‘stick’ (4)

24 Highly original form of male sin (7)

26 React fearfully to the cold? (6)

29 One briefly imprisoned for a trick? (3)

31 I say, Edward, that’s sharp! (5)

32 Playful baby snake? (7) 34 Let the learner have the hammer (5)

35 Article in good wood (3) 36 Show undue pride, having left the butter out? (5) 37 Are upset about no good passion (5)

38 In Wales, not the place for top people? (5)

DOWN

1 Pulsating material? (5) 2 Attacked and destroyed the new fort (4,3) 4 They’re the many (4) 5 There’s a tree in the middle of the road! (6)

6 Meat men (5) 7 Crashed flier long imprisoned (5)

9 Tell stories for money, that is (3)

12 This creature may be part hen (7)

14 There’s nothing in returning a kiss (3)

16 Bit of a bloomer by the boys (5)

17 Taking a rest from veracity? (5)

19 Funny figures in black rock (7)

20 The end of a fox (5)

21 A fan embraces Joe, the villain! (5)

23 In Switzerland, they are not put up in tins (7) 24 Seated in decorous fashion (6)

25 Another denial? (3) 27 Buddy, very good about money (5)

28 Person, for instance, in the forefront of vegetarianism (5)

30 Dogs used by Speke (5) 32 To be out of work upsets some actresses (4) 33 Prisoner of the Gulag (3)