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 the completed crossword to Daily Mail Prize Crossword 17,099, 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 50.
ACROSS
1 Bachelor Cameron is free for male bonding? (8)
5 A group of agents
catching cold by a tree (6) 9 Make worse open area
within a prison (8)
10 Positive love around a cinema (not half) for actor (6)
12 Resounding noise from children in Devon regularly (4)
13 Top plan we developed around river for utility station (5,5)
15 Dim, unlit line moved
by civilised figure (13)
19 Source of titles for a time in different places? (6,7)
23 Tear apart Tony’s manic air of moral superiority (10)
25 Minor argument in
resort close to coast (4) 28 Greeting to Doris, perhaps, in period of greatest success? (6)
29 On holiday, I step out where fearless skiers go? (3-5)
30 Thanks given by husband in island for Middle Eastern spread (6)
31 Male relative acquiring first sign of this drive for source of luxury food? (8)
DOWN
1 Elizabeth seizes chance initially overlooked to get liquid container (6)
2 Exciting quality shown by Oscar with no sign of speed? (5)
3 Star turns up in
English river (4)
4 Associate with
monarch’s spouse? (7)
6 Brace left in place
for migrants? (5)
7 Use of subterfuge from
smart rogue near yard (9)
8 A thing put online
worried a dissenter (8)
11 Cover narrow depression
between hills, reportedly (4) 14 Advertise book badly (4)
15 Hunt barmy eccentric creating apocryphal story (5,4)
16 Priest entering chapel
inconspicuously (3)
17 Russian chap beginning to
irritate leading group (4)
18 This ham’s composed a
very successful song (5,3)
20 Red meat given marks in
experimental site (4)
21 Advantage in charitable
fundraising event (7)
22 Scattered news broadcast
about Tory at odd points (6) 24 Counterpart hugging a
writer from the U.S. (5)
26 Convincingly beat part
of grandpa’s team (5)
27 Shorten additional thing that
boxers do in training? (4)