CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Tense writer’s key leisure pursuit (7) 5 Englishman in Mexico’s going mad about king (6) 9 Most spruce trees oddly block old cattle (7) 10 Pen in French bar (7) 11 Fish left out in cold (3) 12 Twice one avoids disqualifying wrong group of police (6,5) 13 Shock a Scandinavian on way back (5) 14 One’s in Botswana working for naval officer (9) 16 Colonel leaves hot chocolate, sadly suffering this? (9) 17 A drunkard devours cold course (5) 19 Why leave gun out for novelist? (6,5) 22 Employ Aussies every so often (3) 23 Rustic European lives in middle of little spinney (7) 24 Annual check into legal document downgraded (7) 26 Rod’s right to pursue invader once (6) 27 Guilty feeling concerning detective (7)

DOWN

1 Secretary rings an excellent service for wonder drug (7) 2 Fail to keep appointment with a demonic new entertainer (5-2,8) 3 Decorate rocks (3) 4 Posh people don’t start record (5) 5 Crack appears in writer Graham’s fruit tree (9) 6 South Americans once overrun by Spain (Castile) (5) 7 Group of stars prepare local Ulster grub (8,7) 8 Introduction at the start? Not quite (4-2) 12 Nick’s part of Heathcliff withdrawn (5) 14 Sponsor conserving Thai temple’s peaceful place (9) 15 Occasionally some trees disintegrate (5) 16 Go round to polish off agreement (6) 18 It operates old sewing machine altered after repairs (7) 20 Collar large country bumpkin (5) 21 Bound by foreign articles (5) 25 Quiet dam (3)

FOR your chance to win, solve the crossword to reveal the word reading down the shaded boxes. HOW TO ENTER: Call 0901 293 6233 and leave today’s answer and your details, or TEXT 65700 with the word CRYPTIC, your answer and your name. Texts and calls cost £1 plus standard network charges. Or enter by post by sending completed crossword to Daily Mail Prize Crossword 16,182, PO Box 28, Colchester, Essex CO2 8GF. Please include your name and address. One weekly winner chosen from all correct daily entries received between 00.01 Monday and 23.59 Friday. Postal entries must be datestamped no later than the following day to qualify. Calls/texts must be received by 23.59; answers change at 00.01. UK residents aged 18+, exc NI. Terms apply, see Page 76.