Cryptic crossowrd - The Scotsman 06/02/2015

ACROSS

1 Gods ran about at the sight of ferocious creatures (7)

5 Discovered the location of a certain number being hypnotised (7)

9 Way to let in the sun for melting stuff? (7)

10 Sharp answers about laboratory equipment (7)

11 Coming up to Christmas you’re said to be having an exciting experience (9)

12 Indian teacher crawled, perhaps, to island (5)

13 Disgraced Tory goes to live initially in Alpine region (5)

15 Find one’s way with map and compass to the ancient East, we ‘ear (9)

16 Relying on being able to make greater impression without ultimate influence (9)

18 Enter water with run, showing strong motivation (5)

21 Take top off teabread and use as base for ice-creams (5)

22 Gets very anxious at dance in exploitative establishment (9)

24 Inspector takes AA and RAC round to dreamy pastoral place (7)

26 Draw sin in dire straits to the centre of one’s being (7)

27 Endless observation of roseate tern, alone in hide (7)

28 Had enough getting Edward put to sleep (7)

DOWN

1 O’Connor’s unable to produce high voice (7)

2 A would-be sweetheart realises it’s finished (3,4)

3 Do one performance in Greek theatre (5)

4 Show what’s on offer – however, use less, not total (3,3,4,5)

5 One had building bricks of good story (5,6,4)

6 Suitable for all parties to use primaries (3)

7 Originally canny or wise to make bouquet (7)

8 File of information about homeless person I’m involved with (7)

12 Wrongdoing is unusual, they say, at church assembly (5)

14 Disembarks at this end of Cornwall, perhaps (5)

16 Announce shambles cleared (7)

17 Swapping tray from under grate, it’s said, produces sparkle (7)

19 Computers is the subject where she may come into her own (7)

20 Told the media, perhaps, how former partner had been a model (7)

23 Dragged to the altar? (5)

25 Slip into event before 1st November (3)

Thursday’s solution

Across: Constellations, Motions, Steward, Lies, Model, Mere, Iterate, Senate, Manner, Interia, Rote, Snipe, Sere, Section, Startle, Self-goverment

Down: Complain, Brash, Not Here, Article, Tool, Saint, Piaf, Lissome, Run Into, Answers, Impasse, Item, Under, Gain, Nearest, Theatre, Idles, Basement