daily double

the hard way

ACROSS 1 Zest shown in dismantling a green pole (6,4) 8 No longer lie about being an outcast (5) 9 Deceive company? On occasion (3-4) 10 Make a striking contribution to the conversation? (5,2) 11 Used in transporting other metals besides gold (5) 12 Member with account to pay finally gets bequest (6) 14 Supply with power? (6) 17 One of the damsels I enjoy holding (5) 19 High-flown writings (7) 21 Can hide possibly even if confined to one area (7) 22 I rose perhaps in the basket-making trade (5) 23 Possibly a good tryer? That’s somewhat disparaging (10) DOWN 2 Attacking a girl in distress (7) 3 Relative said to be in the south of France (5) 4 Present amendment of net tax required (6) 5 No ore is refined in process of attrition (7) 6 Deceptively situated (5) 7 Success story? (4,6) 8 Official title of great merit (10) 13 Charwoman after a bath? (7) 15 Bizarre trip for a coal-burning vessel (7) 16 Pet greyhound? (3,3) 18 Dignified way to help (5) 20 Settle down in pole position (5)

the easy way

ACROSS 1 Personal pride (4-6) 8 Stage scenery (5) 9 Race meeting for boats (7) 10 Long-winded (7) 11 Unsociable (5) 12 In recent times (6) 14 Altitude (6) 17 Present itself (5) 19 Extreme distress (7) 21 Stuffy (7) 22 Having a weapon (5) 23 Final remaining expedient (4,6) DOWN 2 Short extract from book (7) 3 Do without (5) 4 Examine condition of (6) 5 Inscribe on hard surface (7) 6 Watchword (5) 7 Implausible (3-7) 8 Severe consequences (5,2,3) 13 Generosity (7) 15 Faint unsteady light (7) 16 Title of German emperor (6) 18 Untamed (5) 20 Barometer (5)