CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Rescuer ordered to carry oxygen supply (8) 5 Coach alto to adopt, say, smooth flowing style (6) 9 Old tower block about to be swamped by trash (8) 10 Wielding this cutter could make you chesty (6) 12 Finished some deliveries at Trent Bridge (4) 13 Payment system not once entered into by sci-fi author (5-5) 15 A Parisian grown-up adjudged to store energy that’s pure (13) 19 Collier was cut during changes — could these cure him? (7,6) 23 Early community makes

deal (10) 25 Screech owls snaffle

parrot (4) 28 Sudden invasion ruins refurbished hotel (6) 29 Applaud role reversal?

Balderdash! (8) 30 Victory was his in

more ways than one (6) 31 Steer in first, close to

the centre (8)

DOWN

1 Books wrapped in ornate iron band (6) 2 Strong stuff from NCO dismissing worker (5) 3 One component of platinum brought up (4) 4 Two kinds of hot drink not common in country house (7) 6 One who was in jail a long time, having stolen 10 cents! (2-3) 7 Initiates a conservative tax, within limits (9) 8 Old driver terribly close to verge? Use manual control (8) 11 Crooked Scottish mountain, source of Tay (4) 14 Iranian money raised for animal home (4) 15 Extraordinary flat, for example (9) 16 Bill initially left after wife (3) 17 Sort of knot that’s

dangerous for sailors (4) 18 Old girl at home eating nothing? That’s negligence (8) 20 Story about minute

fruit (4) 21 Cancel a radical

circular (7) 22 New Testament book goes with LP for distribution (6) 24 Heading north, officer

abandons huge rope (5) 26 Arrive shortly to collect

doctor’s disc (2-3) 27 Top primate at Number

Ten (4)