Not the Saturday Prize Puzzle – 021
A Puzzle by Biddle
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Foreword
Welcome to the twenty first in our series of weekly puzzles.
This week Biddle has provided a puzzle with a topical theme – his first for the site .
The puzzle
A Puzzle by Biddle
If you prefer your puzzles on paper, click on the grid to download a pdf of the puzzle.
Additionally there is an interactive version of the puzzle here
| Across | Down | ||
| 1 | See 16 | 1/8 | Speedy follower in cartoons chasing kitchen equipment around house for 26 star. (6,8) |
| 5 | Your life could be saved by this dry, unattractive woman (3,3) | 2 | Mean return for soldiers, provided in American city (7) |
| 9 | Near box is one running something 20 25 and 27 6 almost needed recently. (5,6) | 3 | Went back to pay for drug, though owing money (9) |
| 11 | Acceptable in service? 27 6 could barely do this at the end (3) | 4 | Look! It’s timeless superhero’s girlfriend (4) |
| 12 | Lower man, so long as high-up woman follows (6) | 6 | See 27 |
| 13 | Patience, perhaps, in each heart of batter returning after duck (8) | 7 | Take back last criminal in offenders’ institution (7) |
| 15 | A lady who could be trembly, with second letter missing (6) | 8 | See 1 |
| 16/1 | His parallel race confused one in long contest against 1D, 8. (7,8) | 10 | Fashionable part of trousers making a profit (2,6) |
| 19 | Northern editor discovered with whiskey in respected publishing organisation confessed to crimes (5,2) | 14 | Communist played with a resident of China (3,5) |
| 21 | Conclusion I’ve come to: I can be used in salads (6) | 17 | He gets line put in a box by someone else (9) |
| 24 | Bridge? Actually it’s 26 that’s been played a few miles from here recently (8) | 18 | One enjoying a quick trip, once found in Capri? (3,5) |
| 26 | Error on net returns? A source of income for 16 1A, 1D 8, 20 25 and 27 6 (6) | 20/25 | Outlast machine, maybe? – Energy and grit finally lacking, he couldn’t outlast 27 6 (7,5) |
| 28 | Pass short message to religious community (3) | 22 | Graves, perhaps, in French territory – territory visited by Vikings long ago (7) |
| 29 | S, or R in some countries? (4,2,5) | 23 | Dances around mount (6) |
| 30 | Find a new home? That’s about it in the home counties (6) | 25 | See 20 |
| 31 | Home care for little chap, possibly beloved (8) | 27/6 | Conqueror of 20 25, unpopular king is nothing short of a tyrant (4,5) |