Cryptic Crossword - The Scotsman - 27/03/14

Here is Thursday’s puzzle:

Cryptic crossword

ACROSS

1. Having organised elections, had support for some festivities (12)

9. Peacekeepers attempted to finish, but lacked experience (7)

10. Block final tap about to pour forth (7)

11. Is River Island based in Winchester? (4)

12. Hair-dye layer not available (5)

13. Work out with a couple of fellows in shed (4)

16. Guarantees to get settled in three different directions (7)

17. Walk over an empty lane ... or pedal (7)

18. To drink with some engineers is second to none (7)
21. Is about to take on some fans, but keeps them at arm’s length (7)

23. Leave over plot to use decoy (4)

24. Injury caused by cold hoar-frost (5)

25. In turn, has a rich oriental dress (4)

28. Try to use up, with a wide-open mouth (7)

29. Open fire on a sea-dog, we’re told (7)

30. Is Cameron a skilled craftsman? (7-5)

DOWN

2. To create a scene over it is tempting (7)

3. It’s quite iniquitous to be backward (4)

4. Is about to line up some improvement (7)

5. Head, commonly, to earliest Pacific reef, for example (7)

6. Once more finished up in cover point (4)

7. Store up one drug, initially, to get a growth hormone (7)

8. Packet a loose garment. Just the thing for a pompous person (7,5)

9. Is sure to invite management to places of learning (12)

14. Looked closely at sound group of lions (5)

15. Valuable race in May, going under bypass (5)

20. Premier working before much time has elapsed (5,2)

21. Run into small section of an earthwork (7)

22. Give some prominence to achievement by English runner (7)

26. Old essayist left a doctor behind (4)

27. Starts African safari in another large area (4)

~

Wednesday’s solution:

Across: 1 Bleak House, 6 Oral, 10 Factoid, 11 Lanolin, 12 Tail coat, 13 Hippo, 15 Notate, 17 Moonbeam, 19 On the air, 21 Symbol, 24 Tenth, 25 Egoistic, 28 Eurasia, 29 Missive, 30 Esme, 31 Astrologer.

Down: 1 Buff, 2 Enchant, 3 Knoll, 4 Old boy, 5 Solution, 7 Relapse, 8 Land of milk, 9 And honey, 14 One of these, 16 The chase, 18 Fine days, 20 Tangram, 22 Boiling, 23 Former, 26 Sisal, 27 Wear.