CRYPTIC CROSSWORD
ACROSS
1 Stop apricot rotting, one that comes in a bag (6,5) 9 Sound of visitor’s arrival and farewell in desert (3-1-3) 10 Request expert to tour north with scepticism (7) 11 European ready to prune edges of buddleias (3) 12 Remove grime from slopes in church (7) 13 More curious about one making a bigger racket (7) 14 Charles Kingsley describes slipper (3) 15 Drink company about to recruit second-incommand (5) 17 Chap gripping stone delivering sudden blows (5) 18 Suspend fellow interfering with animals (5) 20 Dark piece first to be chopped (5) 22 Discharge a supporter of Pope (3) 24 Engineers employ rare synthetic material (7) 25 Song drunk plays in Colorado (7) 26 Wood remains after fire (3) 27 Inspect boy’s back for dirt (7) 28 Forward Victor intercepts a ball (7) 29 It could make every fellow ill (6,5)
DOWN
1 Drop in the capacity sadly of poet’s treatment of animals etc (8,7) 2 Just like the efforts to save her passengers? (7) 3 Count, for example, first words in publication (5) 4 They have to work hard in prison changing a ground (5,4) 5 Home Ruler accepted Liberal suggestion (7) 6 What writer uses to make his point accurately? (6,9) 7 Reptiles eat posh flower (6) 8 Person with 3 lives in big city? Not quite (6) 16 Vocalic change makes this central to singer (9) 18 Topple old record in shot (6) 19 Change style of defence ministry in part of film (7) 21 City features in revolutionary revival etc (3,4) 23 Initially, cattle enthusiast provides their fodder (6) 25 Measure out bird food that’s used on farm perhaps (5)