CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Waste, we hear, in a statistical centre (5)

6 Food for the journey east (5) 9 She names a vessel (7) 10 The best letter takes a lot of

paper (5)

11 Little house with no fridge

(5)

12 Gets hold of disorderly bars

at Gateshead (5)

13 Gains a lot, nominally (7) 15 Fay, said to be whimsical (3) 17 She’s some comedienne! (4) 18 Not out to recreate the moa

(2,4)

19 Are out to serve, love (5) 20 In Africa, the first letter to

upset Sarah (6)

22 One born in Hollywood? (4) 24 Strike hard at it! (3) 25 Something horsy afoot (7) 26 Twin uncle (5)

27 Not originally a slimmer’s

setback (5)

28 Chap to tidy up the stable?

(5)

29 Her gift is to make aircraft

(7)

30 She’s less than humanitarian (5)

31 My first original Christmas

gift! (5)

DOWN

2 Fearful affray said to come

to a sad end (6)

3 Thin wooden beam, part of a

seat (6)

4 Young Scot in “The Quiet

American” (3)

5 Decorate sailors with much

ceremony (5)

6 Praise for people holding

out, losing nothing (7) 7 Well, they aren’t riches (4) 8 Met up with a real expert,

just for now (3,3)

12 Cheese, initially from an urban district in part of India (5)

13 Language we start learning

on the quiet! (5)

14 Thing rebuilt in time (5) 15 Playing strength? (5)

16 Long time getting to the

point (5)

18 Place in some embarrassment (5)

19 Land of men in song (7) 21 Weapon suitable for a “29

Across”? (6)

22 Nice sort of night to stay out

of the car (6) 23 Warm-hearted, uncompromising devotion (6) 25 Too keen to turn up and have

a fling? (5)

26 A crack from some drifter

(4)

28 It’s Margaret’s turn to be a

treasure (3)