By Mark Taylor
Instructions: Five of the solutions are classic Australian 23ds, one in singular. These clues don’t include a separate definition – only the cryptic elements needed to get to the solution.
ACROSS
1. Don’t Cry…I got into top billing Lerner and Lowe musical (7)
5. See 21d.
9. Illawarra native encountered in Florida, on drugs (5,4)
10. Seek out zebra in Serengeti during the monsoon (5)
11. Greens lose polls, we hear, irritated after first person turned up to get arise (6)
12. Masticate first in front teeth: it’s easily stuck (7)
14. Gold over-55 residing in Scottish island (4)
15. Crimes laid out as an example, although past performance does not guarantee future results! (10)
19. Mum to look back, son also wearing doubtful expression (4,6)
20. See 3d.
22. Fats Waller improvised two-thirds with half-tone in the middle of classic … (7)
25 …. taking first solo in pauses, mid-riffs (6)
27. Lily’s an operatic diva – almost! (5)
28. Van Gogh, casually taking in order, finds a malignant quality (9)
29. Sharp lawyer retiring after flutter, we hear (7)
30. In A Modest Proposal and Gulliver’s Travels, a tiresome trip into Swift (7)
DOWN
1, 24. Old tennis champ, taking in wild fiesta? No thanks! (5,4)
2. Romeo diva flipped over, just like Thelma and Louise (4,5)
3,20a Pop diva Perry I mixed (6,4)
4. After first taste of Lapsang I can rest, brewing British tea leaf (9)
5. Pick macrame which Mum left undone (5)
6. Initially under Kremlin rule, and now without USSR, Russian pursues former Soviet? (8)
7. Polish pancake off, but I’m less into new toppings (5)
8. Simple way to the land of milk and honey (4,6)
13. Greek character’s first kalamarakia gets approval on board ship (4, 6)
16. Pans dish – was cooker at fault? (9)
17. Sponge off Mister Money, losing yen initially (9)
18. Sounds like sonata’s given new orchestration (8)
21,5a Cryptic? Love it! (6, 7)
23. Lotto outsiders, first yet, win fifty pound cash! (5)
24. See 1d.
26. Piers heard on the piano (4)
SOLUTION
