CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

No 16,871

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 16,871, 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 60.

ACROSS

1 V&A drapery cut decorative (7)

5 Compliment what priest does on his knees, so I hear (6)

9 Sort of laic nut — or plain nut (7)

10 Female group leaders left out of former Dutch units (7)

11 Remains when hot (3) 12 After renovation, he’s lucky to retain a single plant (11)

13 Tailless crow and a rook finally do what frogs do (5) 14 Snooty types accept ridiculously dear compromises (5-4)

16 One part of speech delivered in lush riparian location (9)

17 Man in pub toppling over, even after this treatment? (5)

19 Blunt, for one, baled out shabbily, having stolen info (6,5) 22 What archaeologists

do deep in ground primarily (3) 23 A fake journalist’s remorseful (7) 24 Mate very nearly inspires a song and dance (7) 26 Clubs keep avoiding one Greek islander (6) 27 Plant small daggers in U.S. city (7)

DOWN

1 Convert carbon with vital oxygen, generating current (7) 2 Working on clever hunch, OU introduced meal ticket (8,7) 3 Final score (3) 4 Former jailbird’s age? About 90 (2-3) 5 How to carry child’s money box with cents put in for notes (9) 6 More than half of audience dances and cheers (5) 7 Look who’s just come in to talk about Dickens! (5,2,3,5) 8 Tessa’s new property (6) 12 One puts up prices for walker (5) 14 Leaves forest after midnight for place of refreshment (3,6) 15 Rue heading off wading bird (5) 16 Artist set up tyre (6) 18 Dubliner’s exclamation upset Roger in airline (7) 20 Fifty-one miles to reach Italian border (5) 21 Eject slippery type pinching 10p (5) 25 Where researchers collaborate to some extent (3) 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.