
£150 prize to the first correct solution opened on 18th July 2025.

Across
7 Bad Count Dracula started admitting the French (6)
9 See 23dn.
11 Abolition yearbook intended to get rid of AA (9)
12 Penny off Drug dealer's Guide! (5)
13 Keen to conceal opposition leader's dodge (5)
15 House, shitty location – a break for writers (9)
16 Patronising address of name-dropping principal hosted by daft lord (3,4)
18 Queen trashed suite, having a ball? Exactly! (5,2)
20 Role-playing welcomed by board – all right? (9)
22 Dark drink (cap to be removed)
(5)
24 A piece from Posh – a vocal shambles (5)
25 One working conman is not someone looking forward to retirement (9)
27 Husband, knocked about and crushed (8)
28 Poser's morning drink – energy's returned (6)
1 Alarm spread at a work place of Trump (3-1-4)
2 To piss, start to loosen skin (4)
3 William's character: an arse (6)
4 Order one to have new union (10)
5/26dn. "Hell, me income's dodgy!" – absent peer (8,4)
6 Buzz off darling – butt out (6)
8 "Not a clue Brown" about to retire (5)
10 Well outside measure by Sun editor (6)
14 Trump's not much bothered about this US seed crop distribution (3,7)
17 Labour's ultimate goal: food shop – really? (8)
18 Question by university, no trouble for Dicky (6)
19 Work by artist, said to be one involved with glasses (8)
20 A hotel in Bristol, one exotic place (6)
21 Buy empty container for fruit? Bloody hell! (6)
23/9ac. Skiing but hardly getting any better? (5,8)
26 See 5dn.