CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 A difficult time in court (5)

6 Overweight possibly, but able to get by (5)

9 In passenger transport, it’s not a big thing (7)

10 The bit to abandon (5)

11 Dobbin’s reaction to a hinge breaking? (5)

12 Alert to change in more modern times (5)

13 Composer who seemed a bit of a bore to a sculptor? (7)

15 Be maudlin, perhaps, when less than sober (3)

17 A more or less lofty club (4)

18 Shoot the dope! (6)

19 Fight a law-breaker on British Rail (5)

20 Take a good look at the box, perhaps (6)

22 Cut from cashew nuts (4)

24 Indo-Chinese exclamation? (3)

25 For show, stripped during an exotic act (7)

26 Hurry to exclude a drunkard from the company (5)

27 One in favour of exterminating Dr Who (5)

28 A piece of land possessed by the church (5)

29 Unions in business (7)

30 Open and endlessly benign, perhaps (5)

31 She puts a bit of work into the making of a hat (5)

DOWN

2 Most correct, in a fashion, as he should be (6)

3 Female deadlier than the male (6)

4 Cheeky learner driver I park behind! (3)

5 Number one bed (5)

6 Like a fun lute composition (7)

7 One who operates within the house rules (4)

8 On foot, it’s great! (3,3)

12 Amount you get for a quarter of a cent in foreign money (5)

13 No big game? (5)

14 He’s rude and not very precise (5)

15 Wearer of extra-long slippers (5)

16 As borne by a born weakling? (5)

18 Waste product containing salt (5)

19 Denigrate a fellow for concealing a shortage (7)

21 An eighth of the music (6)

22 For a Scot, the corn is high (6)

23 Sam, it seems, is comparatively healthy (6)

25 If you want to pay, up with it! (5)

26 Little house on a southeastern motorway (4)

28 He’s got the knack (3)