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 16,929, 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+, excl NI. Terms apply, see Page 58.

ACROSS

1 Endless humour leads to private disappointment (8)

5 Injured scout receives cold plaster (6)

9 Food outlet gets extra consignment (8)

10 Cook goes in to

annoy fielder (3-3)

12 Papers cover church that’s decorated (4)

13 Top hand’s device installed in palace privy? (5,5)

15 Could this shatter

goblet in pieces? (6,7) 19 Forecast different

operating cost (13)

23 Special carriage to pull and heave Welshman (7,3)

25 Expert initially recognises sycamore, for example (4)

28 Unyielding, like some roads in winter? (6) 29 Polymer is backing lithium and carbon unit (8) 30 Remove English fellows with one (6)

31 Meeting that’s needed after a trip to Ikea? (8)

DOWN

1 In French company, join

carrier on course (6)

2 Married trio of Europeans

admit large fracas (5)

3 Stop working around

very sleazy club (4)

4 Exercises are successful (7) 6 The force arrests

international burglar (5)

7 Flirtatious woman scoffing

Romeo’s savoury roll (9)

8 Fresh food nearly

rots at sea (8)

11 Meek type, male, enters

room for experiments (4) 14 Diver found during

afternoon (4)

15 I’m amazed by that work

on fancy firedog (4,5)

16 Dismissed every other

feature of yogurt (3)

17 Drivers yen to tour

Wales on holiday (4)

18 Record independent Unionist in box finishing speech (8)

20 Where to store garden

tools in Slough? (4)

21 Such characters are inclined to show stress maybe (7)

22 Some charter yacht

or different vessel (6)

24 American pursued by wild

Cortez deprived of gold (5) 26 Search around

old valley (5)

27 Cops ignore river

parasites (4)