Cryptic crossword - The Scotsman 20/06/12

Published on 20/06/2012 00:19

Wednesday’s puzzle...

ACROSS

1 Square grating held out (5-6)

9 Seeming likely one will have soft fruit in middle of night (9)

10 One in France with twitch going round with short coat (5)

11 Being abstruse, it is hard to get to the bottom of it (4)

12 A horse poet exchanged for weapon! (10)

14 Man coming back from Sierra Leone (4)

15 Broadcast first record for computer expert (10)

19 He can catch you out in 11 across (10)

20 Is only half a flower (4)

21 Day trailer had been removed to find something under it? (6,4)

23 Agony caused by a nail outside (4)

25 In imminent danger although in favour of the article (3,2)

27 Gains procured by bad means (3-6)

28 Devil’s chief characteristic, gold (4-7)

DOWN

1 Stood for what salesman was angry about (11)

2 The aim of football (4)

3 Having three faces that are geometrical (9)

4 Operating surgeon did not have alternative drink (5)

5 Another lot trail along the shore (8)

6 Row during first half of meal (3)

7 Enthusiast, go and arrange some steps (8)

8 Beetle without a black mark (4)

13 Cap becoming a monster hat (3-1-7)

16 Reported ape, one found underground? (9)

17 Soldiers with younger worker found it was vibrating (8)

18 Very large dance and caper (8)

21 Fissure a drifter circumvented (4)

22 Oliver’s dance (5)

24 Left afloat (4)

26 Run Italian leader over a drowned valley (3)

Across: 1 Captives, 5 Nautch, 9 Newspeak, 10 Back up, 12 Rawest, 13 Donut, 16 Swathe, 17 Knighton, 20 Reinsert, 21 Braces, 23 Notch, 25 Shrine, 28 Usable, 29 Tabulate, 30 Sheath, 31 Seashell.

Down: 1 Cony, 2 Pows, 3 Impeaches, 4 Erases, 6 Award, 7 Take notice, 8 Hypotenuse, 11 Sting, 14 Astronauts, 15 Magistrate, 18 Geraniums, 19 Crest, 22 Ornate, 24 Helot,26 Care, 27 Reel.