Mind Games
Crossword, Sudoku, the Quiz, Wordplay and more
Cryptic clues Across
1. Photo picked to illustrate theme (5) 4. Inform Swiss hero (4) 6. Most impertinent to unpack suitcase! (8) 12. They are in control during testing times (9) 13. Nine gather round damaged crate of fruit (9) 14. Competitor ran into wrong tent (7) 15. Put name down for Little
Women role (5) 16. Square or multiply (5) 17. Retraced badly made tiers (8) 19. Di and Tom are indeed devoted (9) 22. They are ready in the event of falling stars (12) 23. Responds to queen backing parliamentary laws (6) 25. Harry lashes out! (6) 27. NCO not worth worrying about? (5,7) 31. Patsy paces around big kid (9) 33. Issue of pride? (4,4) 35. Get rid of last bit (5) 36. Include us in stirring his Japanese dish (5) 37. Garment worn by Mr Tracy (7) 40. Swaps husband for carpenter, perhaps (9) 41. Coventry Hospital ward? (9) 42. Supervises abroad, I hear (8) 43. Others out to get what she owns (4) 44. Agree with Shorty? Just the opposite (5)
Down
1. At that point they’re talking (5) 2. Applied stucco to wall while inebriated? (9) 3. Where Marco Polo went to get crockery (5) 4. Way of handling medical intervention (9) 5. Leaned over and wrote out inventory (6) 7. Glowing praise for account before company deal collapsed (8) 8. Disorganised coach about to wrap it up (7) 9. Mysterious giant mice on the rampage (9) 10. Adolescents are awfully tense (5) 11. What’s in the recipe for tenderising stew? (11) 17. Wayward cue shot makes contact (7) 18. 30 days in Capri? Lovely! (5) 20. Abandons arid areas (7) 21. Promoting product seen as diverting change (11) 24. Self-indulgent – a bit like a pixie (5) 26. It will take you to the next level (9) 28. Items left out for first official religious outposts (9) 29. Winston is sick behind cathedral (9) 30. Con’s memo is about soup (8) 32. Train past reporters? (7) 34. Perceive intuitively like a god (6) 35. Heard second part of tennis match led to punch-up (3-2) 38. Demand word for word (5) 39. Angry about being lanky (5)
Quick clues Across
1. Subject (5) 4. Notify (4) 6. Cheekiest (8) 12. Judges (9) 13. Smooth-skinned peach (9) 14. Participant (7) 15. Join up (5) 16. Uses stopwatch (5) 17. Stepped (8) 19. Pledged (9) 22. Stand-in actors (12) 23. Strikes back instinctively (6) 25. Pester (6) 27. Navy rank (5,7) 31. Fall guy (9) 33. King of the jungle’s offspring (4,4) 35. Waste metal (5) 36. Seaweed and rice snack (5) 37. Princess Diana’s maiden name (7) 40. Skilled worker (9) 41. Quarantine (9) 42. Superintends (8) 43. Belonging to that girl (4) 44. Keep score (5)
Down
1. Neither here nor ... (5) 2. Coated thickly (9) 3. Asian nation (5) 4. Therapy (9) 5. Catalogued (6) 7. Honour (8) 8. Utterly confused (7) 9. Cryptic (9) 10. Youths (5) 11. Component parts (11) 17. Feels (7) 18. Fourth month (5) 20. Jumps ship (7) 21. Publicising (11) 24. Impish (5) 26. Flight of steps (9) 28. Oversights (9) 29. Iron Curtain speech deliverer (9) 30. Clear broth (8) 32. Voice (7) 34. Supernatural (6) 35. Altercation (3-2) 38. Precise (5) 39. Long-legged (5)