CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

No. 16,150

ACROSS

1 Private meeting fifty in hollow (8) 5 It stops squeaking in a Clio mostly when reversing (6) 9 How many customers pay for trip? (8) 10 Piglets prepare for war (6) 12 Plans exclude a fateful day in Rome (4) 13 Carlyle’s mistaken about English society in a slapdash way (10) 15 Shattered team chill and cook confectionery (4,9) 19 Bury set oddly grow up without women’s society (8,5) 23 Chief goes in to supply ladies backing Latin student (10) 25 Unit protected clubs previously (4) 28 Diamond catch that’s put on in corner of ring (3,3) 29 Wrought iron in chimney producing poisonous gas (8) 30 Somewhere to stay, with or without son (6) 31 Spout on church maybe or crumbling grey gaol (8)

DOWN

1 Fines put in money box (6) 2 Aristocrat, English, hugs one tearful old mother (5) 3 Left one newspaper in elevator (4) 4 Very old officer spies revolutionary linked to battery (7) 6 Angry buccaneer losing head (5) 7 Pack instrument for cheat (4,5) 8 Bride fresh and extremely lovely on the day (5-3) 11 That woman’s old champion (4) 14 Slight mark above some notes (4) 15 Unable to produce a light without equal? (9) 16 Some who think it’s very popular (3) 17 Leader of orchestra occasionally broke instrument (4) 18 Metalworker can almost hit hard (8) 20 Pudding needs power to be turned up on ring (4) 21 Interrogate American about old primate (7) 22 Scrub allowed to fill river (6) 24 Old judge to speak pompously (5) 26 Curious about individual making a racket (5) 27 Medal leaving with no middle (4)

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 16150, 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+, exc NI. Terms apply, see Page 68.