THE WEEK CROSSWORD 1290
An Ettinger travel pass case and two Connell Guides
will be given to the sender of the first correct solution to the crossword and the clue of the week opened on Monday 20 December. Email the answers as a scan of a completed grid or a list, with the subject line The Week crossword 1290, to crossword@theweek.co.uk. Tim Moorey (timmoorey.com)
ACROSS
1 Best thing to read with small Scotch in The King’s Head (3,4) 5 Eccentric US golfer? (7) 9 John, sort of councillor (5) 10 Coward perhaps coming from drink at first (9)
11 Musical drama in small shelter gets band together (9)
12 Food finished close to Parma? (5)
13 Mug returned and put down (4) 14 Stripping is optional in resort (10)
18 British tree and Dutch tree rot (10)
19 See 24 Down
22 Story about virtual reality in French book (5)
24 A lot getting old for manipulation (9)
25 One strengthening mobile tethering? (9)
26 Wheel comparatively slack (5) 27 Journal contains empty extract about food (7)
28 Ayah starts with her dirty shirts prepared for this? (7)
DOWN
1 Capitol riots in the news (7) 2 Change exam to accommodate current leader (9)
3 Cathedral city diocese for palace (6)
4 Child slept briefly in novel (9) 5 Keep bottles of white wine (5) 6 Harvest fruit to come again (8) 7 Catches trouble in opposite directions (5)
8 Pop on the coach comes from modernised trannie (7)
15 Final blow upset stalwarts (4,5) 16 American having authorised in detail I fancy (9)
17 Crack and Ecstasy with time can bring serious disorder (8)
18 Ran fast to pen article that’s overdue (7)
20 Good energy inside before time with enthusiasm (7)
21 See 24
23 After polling, Tory peer’s following very uncertain (5)
24/19/21 Did many a service for “modelling”– she would, wouldn’t she! (5,4-6)