PRIZE CROSSWORD
For this puzzle we’ve provided two sets of clues, each giving the same answers. One set of clues is cryptic, one set is quick. It’s a good way to hone your skills, because it gives you two ways to crack the crossword! Two winners will be chosen randomly from all entries (cryptic and quick clues). So whichever set of clues you follow you have an equal chance of winning!
CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS
1, 4 Vegetables: funny shaped tomatoes (6, 8) 4 See 1A 8 Son frequently heard to yell in game (8) 9 Braved stupidly? Or perhaps daringly? (6) 10 Catering job extracts much effort (4) 11 Agreement to introduce group of witches to worker (8) 14 Cargo revealed by French crew? (7) 16 Caustic play on words by man (7) 18 One stuck in street, possibly, in Italian town (7) 20 Dangerous act involving extremely dense undergraduate? (7) 22 Initially Petty Officer merely upset the person in charge (8) 24 Return of Friends is a hit (4) 26 Accepts minor points, following fuss (6) 27 Riches he distributed in English county (8) 28, 29A Forget what one is saying, as careless seamstress might? (4, 4, 6) 29 See 28A
DOWN
1 Sam’s rearranged church service (4) 2 Problem with price rise: try to get free travel (9) 3 One of seven engaged in Cold War fighting? (5) 4 They may arrest pests on river (6) 5 Mr Previn has taken part in band recently (5) 6 Work in the theatre, note, supporting form of musical entertainment (7) 7 Not the real version of a song by The Who (10) 12 Spring in underground chamber (5) 13 Where Humpty Dumpty fell? That’s unexpected (3, 3, 4) 15 Fellow on the wagon has yen for a woman (5) 17 Head of Mafia given role at baptism (9) 19 Wicked mischief maker with evidence of debts (7) 21 Small reptile perched on American plant (6) 23 Go one better, putting together open-air festivity? (5) 24 These can be folded to make cover (5) 25 First of mechanics to finish off repair (4)
QUICK CLUES ACROSS
1, 4A Pulped vegetable dish (6, 8) 4 See 1A 8 Team sport with a pitcher and a batter (8) 9 Sentence modifier (6) 10 Principal cook (4) 11 Sacred agreement (8) 14 Commercial goods (7) 16 Having an acrid aroma (7) 18 Italian port near the northeastern border (7) 20 Pupil (7) 22 User (8) 24 Strike open-fisted (4) 26 Embraces, takes on (6) 27 - - - cat, grinning feline (8) 28, 29A Cease to follow the conversation (4, 4, 6) 29 See 28A
DOWN
1 Midnight - - -, Christmas Eve custom (4) 2 Thumb a lift? (9) 3 Red - - -, science fiction sitcom (5) 4 British rock band with the hit Message in a Bottle (6) 5 - - - the Giant, iconised French wrestler (5) 6 Perform surgery (7) 7 Proxy (10) 12 Strongroom (5) 13 Eccentric Michael Jackson album? (3, 3, 4) 15 - - - Wainthropp, TV sleuth played by Patricia Routledge (5) 17 The - - -, classic film starring Marlon Brando (9) 19 Ungodly (7) 21 Spring flower (6) 23 Surpass (5) 24 Tabloid (5) 25 Fix (4)