Cryptic crossword - The Scotsman 28/02/2012

Across

1 Acquire a hairpin and snap out of it (3,1,4)

5 Arranger of things that are backward-looking, backwards (6)

9 Left over engineer is putting up for two (8)

10 What’s afoot in this tale? (6)

12 Footballers master of deception (6)

13 A fighter needs no foreign friend (5)

16 Foliage in deserts (6)

17 Barrier set up to stop assistance getting through, they say (8)

20 Carelessly think it likely spirit creates rainbow (8)

21 Only two vowels in evidence, it’s said, in early times (6)

23 19’s in support, we hear, of available places (5)

25 Hairy cover-up by university publisher in recorded letter (6)

28 Collection of birds going by way of travelling on a train (6)

29 Whopping carry-on at musical event (8)

30 Praises beginner who gets involved with taxes (6)

31 Puts straight a slinger who’s all mixed up (8)

DOWN

1 One going round and round in feverish orgy (4)

2 Throw to paramilitaries (4)

3 Religious sponsor not necessarily Don Corleone (9)

4 Part of conduit Alice found to be sloping (6)

6 Score nil, game over – it’s the end (5)

7 Novel new lead hit, etc (3,7)

8 Diameter or setting of energy detector (10)

11 Quicksilver found on French island (5)

14 Stairs are the scene of narrow escape (5,5)

15 Composer of most light and new character in rousing air (10)

18 Put receiver down near thing (5,4)

19 “Money can’t buy me love”, for example, only estimate the cost (5)

22 Bloomer predicated on initially eating like a wolf (6)

24 Tease out parts of fish (5)

26 Party’s leaders stick to a goal (4)

27 Champions retire at 18 (4)

Monday’s solution

Across: 1 Standardise, 9 Route, 10 Vestment, 12 Handsel, 13 Tangent, 14 Sedan, 15 Armistice, 18 Repellent, 20 Gleam, 21 Tenuous, 24 Vivaldi, 25 Got a part, 26 Waste, 27 Wedding days.

Down; 2 Treason, 3 Naval base, 4 Asset, 5 Demands, 6 Sense, 7 Orchestrate, 8 Turned up, 11 Streamlined, 16 Motivated, 17 Idealism, 19 Leopard, 20 Give way, 22 Noose, 23 Stain.