CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

WIN £500

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 16,852, 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+, excl NI. Terms apply, see Page 52.

ACROSS

1 Basic guidelines for hitch-hiker? (5,2,5)

8 Question consecutive notes about cheese (7)

9 Bewildered birds occupying part of garden (7)

11 State of writer wasting hours at one of 12 (10)

12 Man’s eating soft fruit (4)

14 Inspect youth clutching old lawyer’s work (8)

16 Criticised what

forty-niners did? (6)

17 Outcome of injury in ‘The Quiet American’? (3)

19 Nasty atmosphere among Bohemia’s Magyars (6)

21 Picked up two items golfer uses as well as drink (5,3)

24 Delightful place on the Riviera (4)

25 Harry felt envied for throwing the hammer maybe (5,5)

27 Brief expertise with one daily carrier in the Alps? (3,4)

28 Savings, say, hidden in gents stupidly (4,3)

29 Looting lead position? That’s out of order (12)

DOWN

1 Refunds fees English bishop introduced (7)

2 ’Boil on flame (reduced)’ — rough guide to cooking this? (4,2,4)

3 Flatter washer? (4-4)

4 Stuff crab if dressed (6)

5 Mound’s height increased to conceal motorway (4)

6 Fail to catch one operating NASA project (7)

7 Notice building material in vehicles for promotions (12)

10 Data given out about unfortunate snag (12)

13 Pianist father and daughter were about to go downhill perhaps (10)

15 Supplier of milk and fertiliser withholding name (3)

18 Larks in a troubled state in Asia (3,5)

20 Record library this writer’s added to vault (7)

22 Inside that is the right one for Berliners (7)

23 Part of plant, reportedly a deadly piece (6)

26 Hobble miles in border (4)