CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

No 16,689

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 16,689, 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 54.

ACROSS

1 Leave head count

following vote (4,4) 5 European country’s

river with perch (6) 9 American poleaxes priest entering in fury (8) 10 Leaves container in which there’s sometimes a 24? (6) 12 Sauce, say, poured out

over duck (4) 13 Current nobleman hosts function for figure expert (10) 15 Agrees enough’s been converted into CO2 for one (10,3) 19 Attractive Greek flying across Thailand, not quite all (13) 23 Electrical device starts

working with iron (10) 25 Sums picked up for

woodcutter (4) 28 Stumble over Dutch

photographer’s prop (6) 29 Injured skater in West Indies to take up different sport (5-3) 30 Whirlwind ruined

Monday (6) 31 Monster hybrid flower

we cultivated (8)

DOWN

1 Pass Europeans running

round circuits (6) 2 Variety of white and yellow plant that climbs walls (5) 3 English border points up

imposing building (4) 4 Large former celebrity

compiles dictionary (7) 6 Where canoe

founders? (5) 7 Arab cash left Russian

port (9) 8 Replace record, interrupting various duties (8) 11 Old bird’s tricks (4) 14 Is there still one in the

highest peaks? (4) 15 Slight change university omitted from its ceremony (9) 16 A thumping success? (3) 17 Bowl some batters in

Kent (4) 18 Nervous sugar magnate invested in a revolutionary excavation . . . (8) 20 ... as well as a group from the Royal Society (4) 21 Individual 9 taking in one brief period in the past (4,3) 22 Contradict felon’s first

conviction (6) 24 Third of army goes off

northwards to attack (5) 26 Very nearly leave to find

party (5) 27 Woman reported piece

of vital information (4)