CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

No 16,341

ACROSS

1 Excited, Zoe’d received one postcard with this on it? (3,4) 5 Decipher clues about a part of contract (6) 9 Top-class log almost retrieved about rare wartime attack (3,4) 10 Book dealing with what bartenders do (7) 11 Botham regularly offered some resistance (3) 12 Not all rotten Polish drivers sent back engine part (11) 13 Fine young fellow, one

might say (5) 14 Step on board cool interplanetary transport (9) 16 Old cure concocted by American is easily taken in (9) 17 Controversial UK-Arab article denied religious coverage (5) 19 Harry Lauder spoke –

using this? (11) 22 First Lady’s uniform

reduced (3) 23 Sixth son in awfully

poor condition (7) 24 Head across southeast

to collect book (7) 26 Baltic port distributes sand stored by Greek (6) 27 Where nurses are

often ahead (7)

DOWN

1 Passionate old god consumed a lot nonstop (7) 2 Butcher promoted raw tuna blend (11,4) 3 Cells needing a bit of renovation (3) 4 Some fractured leg climbing tree (5) 5 Fliers originally sent round first (9) 6 Corridor is swamped with drink (5) 7 His job on battlefield the outcome of better research, right? (9-6) 8 Manage to raise bar when auditor comes in (4,2) 12 Rodent, shy, on

borders of Peru (5) 14 Masonry in Stoke

worn out (9) 15 Last bit of coal in last

part of last month (5) 16 Part of film about a

hard Ottoman ruler (6) 18 Evergreen contributor

to language lessons (7) 20 Shoot small individual

engaged in fraud (5) 21 Parts of current Japanese capital swapped for old one (5) 25 Very old wife’s

pledge (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 16,341, 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 68.

NEED A CLUE? Text TIP to 65700 to receive FOUR answers to today’s crossword, or call 0901 293 6236. Texts and calls cost £1 plus standard network charges. Today’s clues available between 00.01 today and 23.30 only.