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 16,839, 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+, excl NI. Terms apply, see Page 52.

ACROSS

1 Middle-of-the-road couple crosses European river (8) 5 Graduates gather

round bay tree (6) 9 Colourful flyer, favourite to take in a philanderer (8) 10 Judge poorly what a driver often needs (6) 12 Contest doesn’t end level (4) 13 Blonde at university’s penning first of two fables (5,5) 15 Why I have crew trained by Yankee using all available means (5,5,3) 19 Fix rickety engine that keeps things moving (7,6) 23 Vitamin from some meat loaf cooked with French wine (10) 25 Fail to include note in books (4) 28 Plant receives Italian viewer’s complaint (6) 29 Toxic way of working in dealing with blood vessels (8) 30 Male collects silver and gold regularly to strike deals (6) 31 Wild pony is found in High School in relaxed state (8)

DOWN

1 Wally sat entertaining

superior parish priest (6) 2 Lament revolutionary

European network (5) 3 Don Juan’s tidy bed (4) 4 Those people accept

charge for treatment (7) 6 Victoria’s consort dismisses bishop’s warning (5) 7 Track unusual bird with freedom, expending energy (9) 8 Archer’s target that

may be on a cow? (5-3) 11 Feature of popular

chapel’s vault (4) 14 Eliminating contest

held in theatre (4) 15 Promoting pricey jewellery, none forged in lead (9) 16 The group I belong to

get over old distress (3) 17 Start to copy painting — ‘The Hay Wain’ perhaps? (4) 18 Angry Sikhs engage

Irish male in clash (8) 20 Force endless parade

to turn round (4) 21 Fit doctor in New York

showing immaturity (7) 22 Former secret police’s

lack of movement (6) 24 Trim end of

brief stream (5) 26 Ties up African

Muslims (5) 27 Person from Rome

unleashes male horse (4)