Not the Saturday Prize Puzzle – 114
A Puzzle by eXternal
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Foreword
Welcome to the latest in our series of weekly puzzles.
A few weeks ago we published our first puzzle by eXternal. You enjoyed that one, so now here’s another.
The puzzle
A Puzzle by eXternal
There is an interactive version of the puzzle here.
If you prefer your puzzles on paper, a pdf of the puzzle can be downloaded from the interactive version.
| Across | Down | |||
| 1 | Southern salesman rejected ringing hotel for drink (8) | 1 | Spring a leak (6) | |
| 5 | End of spear missing a wild beast (6) | 2 | Swimmer’s wine order written up with hesitation (3,6) | |
| 10 | When rude theatre turned blue (5,3,7) | 3 | Muddy like lake? (7) | |
| 11 | Scientist right about old guide (7) | 4 | Encountered headless woman in chemical compound (5) | |
| 12 | Bang end and hurt nuts (7) (7) | 6 | Found hiding in simple surroundings, America toppled ruler (7) | |
| 13 | Despite everything being detailed, concept failed in the end (8) | 7 | A quietly concealed bug (5) | |
| 15 | Businessmen overheard double-cross (5) | 8 | Tax collector’s admitted to a gentle touch to change image (8) | |
| 18 | Badge from Maine small child brought back (5) (5) | 9 | Society gets a load of samples (8) | |
| 20 | Careless type half-cut in hospital department (8) | 14 | Form sore about a lecture (8) | |
| 23 | Pest controller and trampolinist, maybe (7) | 16 | Anger about trip cut short in train (9) (9) | |
| 25 | Found back in same rut at summer’s height (7) | 17 | Having small growth drained after objections raised (8) | |
| 26 | Given equal billing, finalist wins over another taking drugs (4,3,3,5) | 19 | Grim experience that’s bad eating place for truckers (7) | |
| 27 | Clear backing to protect the hedge (6) | 21 | A secret’s said to have been of benefit (7) | |
| 28 | Little boy catches bug (8) | 22 | Physicist’s original model working (6) | |
| 24 | Spill out of bed before class (5) | |||
| 25 | Frenchman turns up for rave (5) |