CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

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 16,659, 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 date-stamped 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 56.

ACROSS

1 Paint a verbal picture of some French member in church (8) 5 Notice very short book here, for example (6) 9 Utilise wide one getting into island? (8) 10 Paul’s excited, meeting radio’s first star (6) 12 Border controlled by landed gentry (4) 13 Doctor put a tie on before initially treating casualty (10) 15 Strange nodule flummoxed canine specialist (6,7) 19 Outrageous streak during very rich sport on wheels (6,7) 23 One drink’s taken in via the mouth in a novel way (10) 25 Many countries come together in this, like Iran oddly (4) 28 Countermand importing a plant (6) 29 Indian city managed to enlist one engaged in farming (8) 30 Number taking part in gospel evening (6) 31 Foreign Office ambassador goes in to study area between temples (8)

DOWN

1 Order’s Eastern beliefs back to front (6) 2 Wounded by scorpion, say, beginning to go crazy, upset (5) 3 Some film dance (4) 4 British artists hold very posh show of brilliance (7) 6 Question mark surrounds top-class book (5) 7 Seasonal gift of English flower and European goods (6,3) 8 Singer in pub, one covering city centre (8) 11 Distant relatives extremely anxious about exercise (4) 14 Formerly part of detention centre (4) 15 Dutch association’s affair (9) 16 Some people know where grouse display (3) 17 It fills drains (4) 18 Unjustifiably claim spa town’s lead-free (8) 20 Deep river or burn (4) 21 Quickly run out after everyone, say (7) 22 Severely criticised what many ‘49ers did (6) 24 This compiler’s mature figure (5) 26 Flyer’s bargain at end of sale (5) 27 Trim couple, by the sound of it (4)