CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

WIN £500

FOR your chance to win, solve the crossword to reveal the word reading down the shaded boxes. HOW TO ENTER: Call 0901 293 6233 and leave today’s answer and your details, or TEXT 65700 with the word CRYPTIC, your answer and your name. Texts and calls cost £1 plus standard network charges. Or enter by post by sending completed crossword to Daily Mail Prize Crossword 16,829, PO Box 28, Colchester, Essex CO2 8GF. Please include your name and address. One weekly winner chosen from all correct daily entries received between 00.01 Monday and 23.59 Friday. Postal entries must be datestamped no later than the following day to qualify. Calls/texts must be received by 23.59; answers change at 00.01. UK residents aged 18+, exc NI. Terms apply, see Page 52.

ACROSS

1 Rank girl with one fellow within city limits (8) 5 Excellent clue to start of puzzle (6) 9 Greek character’s hiring Irish out for dodgy net practice (8) 10 Steal the Spanish coin (6) 12 Contest doesn’t finish level (4) 13 One dresses team working with two sons (10) 15 Crudely copy ad with licence that’s fully comprehensive (13) 19 I study bird caught in U.S. gardens making passes? (8,5) 23 What may produce ‘qwerty’ tripe, without question? (10) 25 Shells, or first half of a very old shell (4) 28 Regretted enlisting one new bankrupt (6) 29 A foreign student’s terrible, breaking rules (8) 30 Records some plants university’s thrown out (6) 31 Evaluate a 2p increase (8)

DOWN

1 Police officer’s mettle, by the sound of it (6) 2 Partly organised plant used in cooking (5) 3 Note old London area (4) 4 Cool old Greek picked up nut (7) 6 Dialect is described in old manuscripts originally (5) 7 Cleverly site a desk to indicate one’s preferred group (4,5) 8 Jumper, large one, with blemish on the outside (4,4) 11 Data needs reinforcing to some extent (4) 14 Perhaps Aberdonian drunkard tours clubs (4) 15 Former English politician, one in fashion, obtains immunity (9) 16 Secular song (3) 17 Hair arrangement caught up in extractor fan (4) 18 Area of Oz station (8) 20 Follow story on radio (4) 21 Win a lot that’s spare in contest (5,2) 22 Miner briefly becomes shepherd’s helper (6) 24 Push with back of foot (5) 26 Greek character fit to work in civvies (5) 27 Just one impressed by fliers turned up (4)

NEED A CLUE? Text TIP to 65700 to receive FOUR answers to today’s crossword, or call 0901 293 6236. Texts and calls cost £1 plus standard network charges. Today’s clues available between 00.01 today and 23.30 only.