CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Small-time general ends up in conflict (6) 4 Bears fruit, so succeeds in making profits (8)

9 Keep the players, at some stage, in front of the French (6)

10 Create a circle on line for some ministerial duties (8)

12 Give consent to correspond with people as a compromise (5)

13 Prevail upon a gambler to improve his health (3,6)

14 Leave out time and energy, in order to advance (7)

15 Perform at a party like a long-gone creature (4)

19 Has to cancel things, in fact, when found out (4)

21 Be entitled to park 6 down in a vacant drive (7)

24 In control of direction travelled, in the main (2,3,4)

26 Make the grade on the spot. It could be new (5)

27 Force took one into service, initially, drawing up courses of action (8) 28 Talking wildly, endlessly, at the end, in the Gulf (6) 29 Is ill at ease when having to take fewer breaks (8)

30 An academic is like a legendary Greek character (6)

DOWN

1 Distress call made about case of ancient philosopher (8)

2 Put aside 6 down adopted by a left-winger (8)

3 Wrong start to the day, having a deceptive appearance (5,4)

5 Said to be associated with other member of the family (7)

6 Wait to start the action in court (5)

7 At one time, a direction to appear would inspire one (6)

8 Artist, say, left out his remuneration (6) 11 Fever always present in the plague, finally (4)

16 The instrument panel might frustrate the directors (9)

17 Start development of generation (8) 18 Didn’t pay so much attention, so was off guard (8)

20 Do some batsmen have the key to success, at the start? (7) 21 Is angry about first place being rather boggy ... (4)

22 ... having little hesitation to act as a check (6)

23 Makes no progress in floods, so gets nowhere (6)

25 Come out on top, with 40 in Roman numerals (5)