Cryptic Crossword March 2023

Across

1 Divine messenger in charge (7)

5 Sum Dean organised to do with one of the Gorgons (7)

9 Left short time in almost vertical place of refuge (7)

10 Hell for a wicked man (7)

11 Religious establishment, one almost in control (9)

12 Vassal in Belgium (5)

13 Same again, interminably affluent style of architecture (5)

15 Divine intervention when boy meets girl (9)

17 Radar soon damaged flowering plant (6,3)

19 In Louisiana, humanitarian prophet (5)

22 Marjorie looked into the window (5)

23 Depressed for 24 hours after Easter (3,6)

25 Idolatrous motet rescheduled, number

99 (7) 26 Make inroads to have meal at home first

(3,4) 27 Posh area is redesigned covering two continents! (7)

28 Found in centre a clear golden substance (7)

Down

1 Put on as expected (7)

2 Ruth perhaps, gatherer of information (7)

3 Lily’s position? (5)

4 Fish go in wooden things he makes (9)

5 Lamb possibly is full of interest (5)

6 Would one pass on after committing this offence? (6,3)

7 Come near to another sideways, slide awkwardly out of bed (5,2)

8 Ladies take orders here (7)

14 Festival of light? (9)

16 Men we don’t trouble as a matter of policy (9)

17 One of the Christians whose acts have been booked (7)

18 Rota included single revel (7)

20 Epicurean, he had bent coin (7)

21 Country dance centre (7)

23 Lady stopped short before taking one to this sainted Caribbean island (5)

24 Get knotted? Just the reverse (5)

Prize Draw

A £20 book token will be awarded the first correct cryptic crossword solution randomly selected from all correct entries received by the submission deadline. Entries should be addressed to: Life and Work (Crossword) 121 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 4YN and should be received by March 15. The solution will be published in the April issue and the prize winner in the May issue.

Solution to February 2023 Cryptic Crossword

ACROSS: 1 Joel 3 Altar cloth 10 Iceberg 11 Conceal 12 Simon the Zealot 14 Incident 15 Obeyer 17 Supine 19 Libretto 22 Fundamentalist 24 Obliged 25 Numbers 26 Revelation 27 Tabu

DOWN: 1 Jain 2 Elegiac 4 Lighting 5 Arched 6 Canterbury lamb 7 Overlay 8 Holy terror 9 Recording angel 13 First floor 16 Nintendo 18 Pan-Slav 20 Tessera 21 Re-edit 23 Esau

Winner of January 2023 Cryptic Crossword Gavin Sinclair, Motherwell.