CRYPTIC CROSSWORD
ACROSS 1 I hear there’s not much weight to declare (8) 5 Meat and veg (6) 9 Little woman cuts tough grass plant used in cooking (8) 10 Left a large opening (6) 12 Where some old hostesses operated primarily? (4) 13 Avoid lessons tyrant Paul organised (4,6) 15 Questioned angry former dictator with journalist (5-8) 19 Pioneering centre ended up being demolished (13) 23 Not educated, having no character? (10) 25 Bird tucked into Garibaldi biscuits (4) 28 Two girls, one piano (6) 29 Fix curtains at home? That’s a cushy job (8) 30 Briefly watch spy going round further away (6) 31 Nervous soldier in a gallery departs (8)
DOWN 1 Ace failed to win over Mark? Not quite (6) 2 It’s not hard to accept Republican point (5) 3 Flying Officer probes American mysterious aircraft? (4) 4 Wine from Switzerland upset Basil (7) 6 A person from Morocco quoted affair (5) 7 Prepared for new job exercise in plant (9) 8 Comfortable old towel disintegrated (4-2-2) 11 Big cat in seaside golf course picked up (4) 14 Good unit disappeared (4) 15 Support in Caribbean island for very fine vessel (9) 16 Finish object (3) 17 Little child’s strength reported (4) 18 Accommodate patriarch’s dodgy scheme (3-2,3) 20 It carries water etc., with or without top (4) 21 Time for ironing? (7) 22 Move up when cold with 16 (6) 24 Musical group upset part of joint (5) 26 Plain-spoken Soviet agent (5) 27 Worst footballer! (4)
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