Cryptic crossword - The Scotsman 03/04/14

ACROSS

1 Powerful when right up in the air (6)

4 Small firm cleans up, but keeps quiet about it (8)

9 Desolation caused by Virginia in anger (6)

10 Need to explain about IT, to be specific (8)

12 Have to dig deep, in hunt for a role model, very often (5)

13 Go too far, when in position of a managing director (9)

14 Lear set out to find another dramatic character (7)

15 In time, I will have to work the land (4)

19 With some foreboding, find an ancient god (4)

21 Resonate with a little rascal involved in challenge (7)

24 Make allowance for free African party, at the end (9)

26 Is laughing at a tirade about Italy (5)

27 Record company values some of the Gulf states (8)

28 Following brief 1 across, I have to work very hard (6)

29 Cancelling information, in short, about giant, it turned out (8)

30 Appearance of a top dog before opening (6)

DOWN

1 In short, 1 across had to decay in order to skirt the issue (8)

2 Coming back over line, boy kicked over the traces (8)

3 Top nurse chosen to adopt head girl, but ignored her (9)

5 Roundabout 21 down, at last, would take too much in (7)

6 Class I’m bound to begin, in order to advance (5)

7 The inner personality left behind by instinctive being (6)

8 Forks out for top players in transfers (6)

11 Starts to let one bat, so throws the ball up high (4)

16 Having tried to bale out, was set free (9)

17 One’s joining in a procession in the city of light (8)

18 Is aware of intense upheaval, at last (8)

20 Was a little girl eager to get some cotton cloth? (7)

21 Some move erratically to change direction (4)

22 Is perceived to have little credit on film (6)

23 Appearing to lose many with a watching brief (6)

25 Criticise retreating soldiers as traitors, initially (5)

Wednesday’s solution

Across: 1 Farewell, 5 Erebus, 9 Exacting, 10 Evilly, 11 Catholic, 13 Hidden, 14 Lag, 16 Blazer, 19 Brusque, 20 Likely, 21 Vim, 26 Spruce, 27 Ciabatta, 28 Whimsy, 29 Honeydew, 30 Raglan, 31 Partisan.

Down: 1 French, 2 Rialto, 3 West rot, 4 Lentil, 6 Reveille, 7 Bulldoze, 8 Sayonara, 12 Caustic, 15 Cry, 16 Bug, 17 Class war, 18 Skirting, 19 Black Sea, 22 Mimosa, 23 Object, 24 At odds, 25 Darwin.