CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 To bring in paintings ripped to shreds (4,5)

6 Ponders letters from Plato, around 50 left (5)

9 Stars dressed in armour, holding spades (4,5)

10 Like our ears, bled terribly, pierced by ring (5)

11 Wise guy swallows (disgusting!) liquid waste (6)

12 Some seafood tycoons going back outside lavatory (4,4)

14 Take the bait in family room and try writing in a ledger (5,5)

16 Mention Mr. Young’s dimensions (4)

18 Keeping neutral, boxer’s doc let off steam (4)

19 A greater number acquiring wrong North Dakota car mag (5,5)

21 Spot dullard beginning to enter festival (8)

22 Make wagers about everyone dancing (6)

26 Referring to birth inside cabin at a lake (5)

27 They’re opposite battery terminals pinching end (9)

28 Start to surprise us with an actress who played Thelma (5)

29 Note evidence of sunburn fatigue (9)

DOWN

1 Hardware trick set up (1-4)

2 For the second time, darn ewers smashed (5)

3 Very important male caught by burning gym site (8)

4 Head off haggard family member (4)

5 Tom lies about brave warrior catching Ron somewhere in the palace (6,4)

6 African nation embraces a western country (6)

7 Rakish tribe dancing in horizontal row (9)

8 Very gently pat and scan Irish loaf (4,5)

13 A big fan of the French tirade showing narrow-mindedness (10)

14 Prosecutor Victor enjoys swimming the bottom of the sea (4,5)

15 Spooner’s brother provokes people in the same sleeping quarters (9)

17 Head of state unable to get free, short on cash (8)

20 Nearly become unable to see grotesque sprite (6)

23 Important vein injected with last of drug fix (5)

24 Expresses disapproval about front of unbrushed teeth (5)

25 Move initially shifts the interest rates (4)