CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

8 Did Bert have to toil over the story line? (8) 9 Allow Henry to take on a trainee. It could be quite deadly (6)

10 Able to preserve French dance at some stage (6)

11 Broadcasts on a grand tour from a landingplace (8)

12 Take a chance on a Greek character (4) 13 Did he lead an agent to catch a criminal? (10) 15 Imagine a shot in the dark. It’s an open question (7)

17 At short notice, he took on a left-winger, and stuck to him (7)

20 Get rid of presenter after move to touch down (4,6)

22 Was out of work, in fact, unpaid. Lean times indeed (4)

24 Take into account being constant in credit (8) 26 Danger when the rat is about (6)

27 Be at the head in days gone by (6) 28 Take the last standard round the States; it’s colossal (8)

DOWN

1 Talk at length about one forger ... (6)

2 ... and speak out in favour of appeal (8)

3 For a second time, one moans about a skilled worker (5,5)

4 Is unqualified to be special, in particular (7) 5 Gloss over slight insult, so ignore it (4) 6 Begin summer time with a model in charge. It’s constant (6)

7 Did a singer from an Italian city have a regional accent? (8)

14 A coalition was satisfied, at the end, with an allowance (10)

16 Removed from their native land, they could be wiped out (8) 18 Did a good man, in sort, aspire to compose bon mots (8)

19 Make a point of giving second instrument to two hands (7)

21 Finished up with alternative chaplain (6) 23 Prepare the way to make advance (4,2) 25 What attracted him to enter St Andrews? (4)