The NI Crossword
No. 22 by Axe

CRYPTIC

Across
 1,5  King’s Head in immaculate pub facelift – the 1960s anti-colonial type (7,7)
10    Pole leads ship to land in the Channel (4)
11    Italian oil spill on the tide, tanker half-gone (10)
12    Norwegian town of Gunnar – Viking inhabitant (6)
13    Gossip about sister and the dubious £100 wrap (8)
14    Zesty hoop-play by invertebrates (9)
16    It goes round the south then gets – alternatively – called to Japanese city (5)
17    Ancient Briton is the first person to view joint, by the sound of it (5)
19    Secure family by following the oriental environmental community (9)
23    Desert kraal which was haphazardly built during endless hail storm (8)
24    Martin is loosely represented by 7 perhaps (and possibly the heart of 21) (6)
26    The Maid of Orleans’ inner nadir tragically manifests in Arabic peoples (10)
27    Article 11 leads in China (4)
28    Ascetics come from all directions – no pattern! (7)
29    A leader of 7 follows a Scottish pattern (7)

Down
 2    Native American having a chat over a Hopi character or two (7)
 3    Commissar – Russian Youth, Kremlin Order – initially give the Volga leadership (5)
 4    Guinea – capital about which declining Nigerian city gets report (7)
 6    More idealistic nationalism? (6)
 7    Chinese backlash within cells of loyalists (9)
 8    Bohemian makes note on scruffy intake (7)
 9    Cartier style embracing Royal and Ancient president (7,6)
15    See 25
18    Meat the firm retains is for leather (7)
20    Bird reaches water in Wales (7)
21    Meatier alternative for Gulf state (7)
22    Creatures appear strong over a United Nations article on this point (6)
25,15 State kitchen utensil stock in the Amarillo area (5,9)

QUICK

Across
 1,5  First Prime Minister of the independent former Belgian Congo (1960) (7,7)
10    One of the Channel Islands (4)
11    Citizen of Italian city, and Kingdom until 1860 (10)
12    Site of two sea battles in April 1940, after Germany invaded Norway (6)
13    Rumourmonger – Latin ‘what now?’ (8)
14    Animal-like plants or plant-like animals (9)
16    Japan’s third city, (pop 2.7 m) (5)
17    British tribe led in the 1st Century AD by Boudicca (5)
19    Unit consisting of a community of organisms and their environment (9)
23    Arid plateau of southern Africa – the only permanent river is the Okavango (8)
24    One of Northern Ireland’s six counties (6)
26    Inhabitants of the ‘Hashemite Kingdom’ (10)
27    Chinese city of 3m, capital of Shaanxi province (4)
28    Members of ancient Jewish sect known for their asceticism (7)
29    Scottish industrial town famous for its woven shawls (7)

Down
 2    Native American tribe of the prairies speaking an Uto-Aztecan language (7)
 3    The 2nd Commissar of the People’s Council (1924-30), between Lenin and Molotov (5)
 4    Capital of Guinea, established by the French in 1887 (7)
 6    Imaginary state created by Thomas More’s satire of 1516 (6)
 b    US federalists in the Civil War – or opponents of Irish Home Rule (9)
 8    Arty proponent of the ’50’s ‘Beat Generation’ (7)
 9    French Prime Minister, 1974-76 and 1986-88 (7,6)
15    See 25
18    Goat-like antelope of the Alps (7)
20    Welsh city, ‘Abertawe’ (7)
21    The jurisdiction of a descendant of Fatima, the daughter of Mohammed (7)
22    Lists of animals (6)
25,15 Piece of land sandwiched between New Mexico and Oklahoma (5,9)

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