CRYPTIC CROSSWORD
ACROSS
1 Botanists go off gathering first of gentians – they use sleighs (12) 8 Mother, doctor and old journalist danced (7) 9 Make improvements to route arranged by church (7) 11 US cloth has enhanced headgear in Oz (6,4) 12 Fancy having whiskey with that guy! (4) 14 Help to catch erratic flier – landing here? (8) 16 Kick round nearly new fruit container (6) 17 Diagnostician of conditions primarily (3) 19 Arrest Greek character involved in racket (6) 21 Bloke tucking into squash perhaps – he eats lots (8) 24 Formally dress venison to impress business leader (4) 25 Check large untidy room for solvent (10) 27 Extra purchases reported in Slumberland? (3-4) 28 Extend small measure to protect Open University (4,3) 29 Scoffing luscious ripe nuts (12)
DOWN
1 A doctor breaks trip to obtain drum (7) 2 Catch this working with cold in British complex? (10) 3 One who’s sponsored hid gold rocks found around Cuba (8) 4 To make bubbly takes a long time, note (6) 5 Compatriot acknowledges receiving a tiny amount (4) 6 Make strong enough potty to support infant’s bottom (7) 7 Hit front of bank, nicking a grand possibly? (5-3-4) 10 A famously off-the-wall type, Tory leader stops sulky MP cutting tax? (6,6) 13 Men in obscure picture start to overrun island (6,4) 15 Tail – or its owner (3) 18 Huge deficit in fuel (8) 20 Submit gold painting (7) 22 Having ordered a room, American gets flirty (7) 23 Brew hot and spicy old remedy (6) 26 Input fifty pence piece (4)
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