SUPER CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

8 Truly regarding friendly

country (6)

9 One moves in favour of

problem (8)

10 Frank actors at the

mine (4-4)

11 Tray for everyone held

by favourite (6)

12 Means test reform for

politicians (9)

13 Record Scottish expression for a time (5)

16 Sheep having to breathe heavily on hind legs (7)

18 Medical sign, start of mumps, after my top’s removed (7)

20 Lead found by the

French tree (5)

21 Altar base could be a

type of gypsum (9)

24 Barney becomes

close (6)

26 One ruined life in former fuel-rich region (8)

27 Fellow player twice

cooks meat (4-4)

28 Look now and then to find children’s apparatus (3-3)

DOWN

1 Repeat pert performance to offend! (10)

2 Mercury, say, showing temperature on flat surface (6)

3 Close to overtaking yet

avoiding (9)

4 Small talk creating

splash (7)

5 Sauce! Keeping very

soft and sentimental (5) 6 Tablet in water taken

up, which is sweet (8)

7 Nothing more than a

pond (4)

14 First two of clues on next page that may bring you luck (10)

15 Noisy instrument is medium with hidden meaning (9)

17 Pam, with a stir, cooked

seasoned beef (8)

19 Finished covering (3,4) 22 Sniff with nose initially

in pulled-up jeans (6)

23 Noisy junior flyer (5)

25 Weapon among the

peelings (4)