On the Road: Dominic West

el sereno

C has the same meaning wherever it occurs Across

1 Red line crossed by C felt oddly absent (6) 5 Laurel perhaps runs into father C (8) 9 C goes back in spite, possibly for train (8) 10 Firms taken in by routine attack (6) 11 Fish seen stirring in mud on the east of Scottish island (10) 12 C may be new in fusion (4) 13 Early carriage fetched almost a million (8) 16 Film about Times worker still surviving (6) 17 Sleep’s fine for small C (6) 19 Stopped and had a breather after a run (8) 21 C may be answer by son (4) 22 Slip down in place is off (10) 25 Help to accommodate most of relations with love for martial art (6) 26 See 4 Down 27 Such wordy constructs bother memory within a second (8) 28 It’s a strange Geordie drink (6)

Down

2 Burning issue covering origin of rotten grub (5) 3 Snake expert employed in case of rattler (5) 4/26 C’s victory, with poor traders keeping nothing (7,8) 5 Part of body that sees rest changed miners (7) 6 Vicarage in trouble after banning golf as a sin (7) 7 Cuts down number of rodents during appointments (9) 8 Sound quality of country deposing leader accepting one’s mobile (9) 14 Collapse may see motorway dismissed from thought (9) 15 Liberal may be showing no mercy (9) 18 A jar in the morning for broadcast beginning to appeal (7) 19 Everybody may see soldiers used in American attractions (7) 20 Angry warning coming as result of Brazilian diplomacy (4,3) 23 Model small sheds (5) 24 Hide, covering English group of fliers (5)

How to enter Please scan or otherwise copy this page and email it to comps@theoldie.co.uk. With regret, owing to the coronavirus epidemic we are temporarily unable to accept postal entries. Normal procedure will be restored as soon as possible. Deadline: 12th January 2022. We do not sell or share your data with third parties.

First prize is The Chambers Dictionary and £25. Two runners-up will receive £15. NB: Hodder & Stoughton and Bookpoint Ltd will be sent the addresses of the winners because they process the prizes.

Moron crossword 408

Across

1 Reduce area of a sail (4) 3 Rules (6) 8 Cyclone (7) 9 Aviator (5) 10 Divide by 2 (5) 11 Revere (7) 12 Albanian city (6) 14 Frightens (6) 18 Cheap sales trick (7) 20 Cede (5) 22 Go, abandon (5) 23 Diver’s apparel (3,4) 24 Tin alloy (6) 25 Professional charges (4)

Down

1 Chatter (anag) (7) 2 Throw out (5) 3 Fame (6) 4 Conclude from facts; suggest (5) 5 Also not (7) 6 Irish hooch (6) 7 Excursion (4) 13 Run riot (7) 15 Prairie wolf (6) 16 Tranquilises (7) 17 Pierce (6) 18 Cover with gold (4) 19 Unreactive (5) 21 Dodge, circumvent (5) Genius 406 solution

Well done to those who spotted the lesser known goddess of fortune at 2 down!

Winner: Tony Bowditch, Saltash, Cornwall Runners-up: Pam Hayes, Cockermouth, Cumbria; Jared Morris, Andover, Hampshire

Moron 406 solution Across: 1 Phoney, 5 Shun (Phoenician), 8 Gnat, 9 Dictator, 10 Parcel, 11 Napkin, 12 Obstruction, 15 Weight, 17 Fajita, 19 Quick fix, 20 Ripe, 21 Zero, 22 Deduct. Down: 2 Henna, 3 Notices, 4 Yodel, 5 Stamp, 6 Utopian, 7 Iconic, 12 Overuse, 13 Ratify, 14 Injured, 16 Gecko, 17 Foxed, 18 Topic.