CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

1 Carve fashionable bed in southeast (8) 5 Rat that usually floats (3,3) 9 State of ancient object impressing bar (8) 10 Bill entertains priest and writer (6) 12 Patient, originally unwell, given this? (4) 13 Party without bishop after current increase (10) 15 Top job held by top man briefly at the centre (5,8) 19 How it all began — began with right boy in trouble (3,4,6) 23 Area Briton cultivated shows deviation from norm (10) 25 Gas board circumvents restraining order (4) 28 Cross part of UK heading west (6) 29 Hand out exotic tea around local ground (8) 30 First-born, disheartened, settled elsewhere (6) 31 Charlatan’s ‘I’m destitute’ taking in kind person (8)

1 Burst in faulty stirrup throwing leader (6) 2 Given time, this part of flower should reveal petals (5) 3 Polish Yankee gemstone (4) 4 Bread and cheese impressing old chief (7) 6 Generous politician invested in drink (5) 7 See stage worker coming in with Grace (9) 8 Joke about Dutch and French railway contraptions (8) 11 Hairy creature still a source of intrigue? (4) 14 Some primarily resurrected former unit in Italy (4) 15 Stubborn, as is ‘Lord of the Flies’ (9) 16 Dull pal? Not entirely (3) 17 Image stylish company adopted (4) 18 Rough sailor is picked up in party (8) 20 Call up English people attending match (4) 21 Tough cowl on chimney up north (7) 22 Problem involving uniform affected individual (6) 24 Sources labour-saving devices British ignored (5) 26 Extremely small colonial worker’s opinion (5) 27 Very very mediocre (2-2)

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.

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 16219, 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+, exc NI. Terms apply, see Page 56.