Crossword

el sereno

Across

1 Cast the girl lead in drama (4) 3 One supporting struggle of American GP in trouble (10) 9 Measure part of mountain chain (4) 10 Homeless forever? Without doubt (10) 11 Swimmer using 1ac. to hold a party (7) 13 Realize that is five in pain (7) 14 Hesitates, losing cover with natural substitute (11) 18 All but finished - her team lost badly (6,5) 21 Worker’s bitter remedy? (7) 22 Pirate broadcast by my son (7) 23 Dropped off chaps bound to be heard? (4,6) 24 PM needing answer for people in central America (4) 25 Rarely do so badly as ahead of the game (5,5) 26 Girls gathering there’s drink (4)

Down

1 Sort of person unhappy about family when losing protection? (8) 2 Key article on recent increase (8) 4 Head off a review involving leader of rebels (5) 5 Prudish stars together for elections (9) 6 I will support Hibernian pet! (5,6) 7 Relations in bits with new leader (6) 8 What go with flow does for a poet? (6) 12 Office colleague’s first blue giving excess of paperwork (11) 15 Fleet docked with sick old animal (9) 16 Individual copies raised charge (8) 17 Prepare raising, for example, step and finally fly (3,5) 19 Talk vaguely about breakfast in Brussels? (6) 20 Older Spanish gentleman drinking tea, say with beer (6) 22 Acquit Conservative writer of literary nonsense (5)

How to enter Please scan or otherwise copy this page and email it to comps@theoldie.co.uk. With regret, we are temporarily unable to accept postal entries. Normal procedure will be restored as soon as possible. Deadline: 11th January 2023. 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 421

Genius 419 solution

Across

1 Bonce (4) 3 Frank, reliable (6) 8 Recreational, unpaid (7) 9 Priest (5) 10 Thick (5) 11 Obsequious (7) 12 Twee (6) 14 Verse form (6) 18 Beg, entreat (7) 20 Electric car maker (5) 22 Wear away (5) 23 University administrator (7) 24 Flee, get away (6) 25 Boo (4)

Down

1 Squirrelled away (7) 2 Encore (5) 3 Bother, pester (6) 4 At no time (5) 5 Subdivision; segment (7) 6 Conquer (6) 7 Sea eagle (4) 13 Lacking reverence; profane (7) 15 Alternative (6) 16 Betrayer (7) 17 Place of worship (6) 18 Notion, thought (4) 19 Greek letter (5) 21 Blasphemed (5)

Winner: Ann Leftley, Carnforth, Lancashire Runners-up: Gerald Usher, Woodcote, Oxfordshire; Katherine Gwynne, Topsham, Devon

Moron 419 solution: Across: 1 Bellows, 5 Tears (Below stairs), 8 Get up, 9 Sincere, 10 Shapeless, 12 Ill, 13 Enlist, 14 Hot air, 17 Low, 18 Garrulous, 20 Pending, 21 Exact, 23 Event, 24 Totally. Down: 1 Bogus, 2 Let, 3 Oppress, 4 System, 5 Tends, 6 Americano, 7 Stellar, 11 Allowance, 13 Eclipse, 15 Opulent, 16 Fright, 18 Guilt, 19 Satay, 22 Ail.