CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

WIN £500

ACROSS

1 Crack drain outside hotel, making a dramatic discovery (12) 8 Greeting Zulu in capital’s underground system (7) 9 Dashed to collect article that’s overdue (7) 11 Old penny and what’s on it — a snake (10) 12 Test five by way of screening (4) 14 Current MEP got annoyed after I sent in complaint (8) 16 Measure achievement by learner in pool (6) 17 Start to harvest area with fruit (3) 19 Dry Irish coin that’s milled (6) 21 Engineer keen to import pink fuel (8) 24 Christmas book, centre missing (4) 25 It could be fatal for beautiful lady in Rome (10) 27 Substance used in lab tests on mole (7) 28 Ham and eggs queen’s taken in court (7) 29 Manor, despite collapsing, holds a commanding position (12)

DOWN

1 1990s music? Brother and father collect it (7) 2 It’s selfish to leave some money in Morecambe (10) 3 King with two English horses badly needs such boots? (4-4) 4 Push cab in trouble, losing small part of it (6) 5 Greasy item on plate beginning to go off (4) 6 It barely covers violin part (1-6) 7 Doctor typically spoils nice portrait (12) 10 Attend play — he’s rewritten final sentence (5,7) 13 Runner-up to support footballer (6-4) 15 It bears a variety of apples and other fruit (3) 18 Water supply warrant officer and sailors used a lot (4-4) 20 Start song, not under cover (4-3) 22 DNA seen breaking up, forming groups of nine (7) 23 Last part of tract etc sadly dropping in spirit (6) 26 Crude half of dwelling erected (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 16163, 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 62.

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.