Factfinder crossword

Across

8 Relating to a German philosopher (1770-1831) or his philosophy (8)

9 A large west African tree, or its whitish wood (6)

10 Clement __ (1883- 1967), Labour politician who was the party's deputy leader (1931-35) (6)

11 An obsolete Russian gold coin (8)

12 Paul __ (b1941), a Canadian singer/songwriter who wrote My Way (4)

13 Instrument for measuring the velocity of machines or currents (10)

15 A woodwind instrument of the oboe family (7)

17 Dealers in textile fabrics (7)

20 The part of an orbit of a planet at which it is nearest to the sun (10)

22 European port and capital city (pop about 450,000), founded in the 11th century (4)

24 Small Highland town with a ruined cathedral, begun in the 13th century (8)

26 The head of the Bulgarian church (6)

27 Pasturage, or the eatable growth of grass after mowing (6)

28 A room for conversation, especially in a monastery (8)

Down

1 Cecil __ (1904 - 80), London-born society

photographer who worked for Vanity Fair and Vogue in the 1920s (6)

2 Glass covers placed over apparatus in laboratories to confine gases, etc (4-4)

3 A thick vegetable soup with pieces of pasta, etc (10)

4 The site of anancient town in southern Turkey, founded in 301 BC (7)

5 An infectious respiratory disease that affects poultry (4)

6 A cone-shaped wooden peg-top (6)

7 A small thrush akin to the chats (8)

14 A scorpion-fish (Sebastes marinus) (5,5)

16 Enlargement of glandular tissue at the back of the nose (8)

18 Ancient Highland town, the birthplace of Hugh Miller (8)

19 A genus of flowering plants that includes love-in-amist (7)

21 Relating to medicine or physicians (6)

23 A purple medick, also called alfalfa (6)

25 In darts, the line behind which a player must stand to throw (4)

Last week's solution:

Across: 1 Diamante, 5 Rothes, 9 Ecaudate, 10 Gandhi, 12 Conrad, 13 Oriel, 16 Bourse, 17 Portugal, 20 Ritenuto, 21 Dugong, 23 Evert, 25 Aleppo, 28 Ibadan, 29 Voltaire, 30 Ebetsu, 31 Arbroath.

Down: 1 Drey, 2 Arak, 3 Ardrossan, 4 Totara, 6 Otago, 7 Haddington, 8 Shillelagh, 11 Odeon, 14 Aberdevine, 15 Lustreware, 18 Trumpeter, 19 Atlas, 22 Velour, 24 Traps, 26 Riga, 27 Nesh.