The Brain Teaser

No. 8,433

ACROSS

1. Sound more glib (6) 5. He advises one not to swim in the sea in France (6) 8. Harden first in half an hour, then a quarter (5) 9. The dog is outside; it's back from the country (6) 10. There's bitterness over the quantity (6) 11. The second theory has been almost totally exploded (5) 14. This is the way to make toast (5,3) 16. Edna, who went off to the doctor, had a complaint (6) 18. The humming-bird in the dawn chorus, or what it's saying (3,2,3,7) 20. Number nine's wrong for him (6) 22. Given that you do have a meal, having been working (8) 25. Nicks, perhaps, the money (5) 27. Very tired, having been decorating (4,2) 28. Tell you where the civil servant gets his information (6) 29. With a hand extended, more or less (5) 30. Why the soldier is accompanied by a child (6) 31. Involve most of the men by the end (6)

DOWN

1. From one, sharp, is driven round the district (6) 2. A headless ghost wandering about? Poppycock! (4) 3. Glance, having made the choice, right round (8) 4. What the beekeeper's parting with his honeycomb is? (4,5,6) 5. A headache is, for this compiler, ghastly (6) 6. Highly improbable (4) 7. Can make you clear out when it's bad (6) 12. "So underworked all round," they echo (7) 13. How you remember losing consciousness (7) 15. Eat nothing the day before coming round (5) 17. He's the one Rene is mad about (5) 19. Be against taking it in, or just the contrary (8) 20. The dunderhead stranger does seem decrepit (6) 21. Name the vessel; a foreign vessel (6) 23. As the maid's out, figure it will be cheerless (6) 24. Her come-back has made no difference to her (4) 26. She has an arm upraised (4)