Times Cryptic #29454

2026-01-31

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Across

1a

Sickly old man's turkey in need of stuffing (5)

4a

Spooner's fruitcake could earn extra dosh (9)

9a

Involved, ideally, in hedging? (9)

10a

Keeling over, naked and exhausted (3,2)

11a

Dog days with vacuous little clot (6)

12a

Just catching heartless robber while active (2,3,3)

14a

One expecting male tenor to accept additional honour (6-2-2)

16a

Spell "carpets" backwards (4)

19a

Invalid name for hotel in Yorkshire port (4)

20a

Ring, if declared leader (10)

22a

Expert reindeer herders reportedly falling out (8)

23a

Asterix, say, mostly scoffed chops and cake (6)

26a

Snatch of recondite rumour (2,3)

27a

Kit of crack soldiers within Egypt's borders (9)

28a

Indication of a setter going mad (9)

29a

Close to Blackbeard, degenerate buccaneer (5)

Down

1d

Copper and phosphorus found above abandoned coalmine (9)

2d

More cunning hitman killing fifth of Mafia (5)

3d

Abridged long stories for almanacs (8)

4d

One cloud over south of France (4)

5d

Sole Briton performing in three-star line-up (6,4)

6d

Can't abide old tool boxes (6)

7d

Birdie in golf enthralling duke on Scottish island (9)

8d

That man's leaving this pub with unknown Aussie beer (5)

13d

Finally goes bald, untroubled (10)

15d

Essentially resetting the whole system is daunting task (4,5)

17d

Spin sanctimonious contents of proud letter (9)

18d

Did up front of shoe, covered in grass (8)

21d

Superannuated fool, retired flyer (4,2)

22d

Demonstration of parking on top of building (5)

24d

Hostile force failing to end a purge (5)

25d

Naughty extract from Lawrence Durrell withdrawn (4)