CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Exclude poor very big island (8)

5 Wine container’s dry in trunk (6)

9 Geoff sat nervously in the wings (8)

10 African people in Spain keep quiet (4,2)

12 Bring in each service (4)

13 A French surgeon managed to hold European tight (10)

15 More is prepared to cover lead item on board (13)

19 Heading briefly downwind near the centre (4-9)

23 I’d lived with men at sea with malicious intent (4-6)

25 Cutting edges off topaz left another stone (4)

28 Flexible unit installed in factory (6)

29 Scotsman with his second display of virility (8)

30 CIA ran dodgy plant producing medicinal extract (6)

31 New measure covers new online ID (8)

DOWN

1 More impecunious agent? (6)

2 Just over half of whistleblowers pass (5)

3 Car needs valuation at regular stages (4)

4 Upcoming firm imports wild grain, grown naturally (7)

6 Pale brown pooch recovers to some extent (5)

7 Front of Tudor fort at it gets rebuilt in revenge (3,3,3)

8 Photographers set this in big exhibition? Definitely (8)

11 Head of faculty’s study contains one (4)

14 The last word in ornamentation (4)

15 Doubt American still visits hill of Jerusalem (9)

16 On strike or under threat initially (3)

17 Employed American cutter (4)

18 Over time, brush each plant (5,3)

20 Class managed 1000m (4)

21 He’s importing European fruit for big noises on farm (3-4)

22 A duck circles around cold bay (6)

24 Extremely busy guy in charge (5)

26 Old man pockets a stone dish (5)

27 Clean fish (4)

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 16,334, 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 58.