daily double

the hard way ACROSS

1 Racketeers’ go-between? (6,4) 8 Restrict king in temporary quarters (5) 9 It joins another for a breather (7) 10 Sailor’s fate follows his superior (7) 11 Look round New York - it’s crazy (5) 12 It’s used to lift - or bring down (6) 14 There’s something precious in one set of twins (6) 17 A mere serf but he gets a good deal (5) 19 Not a particular person (7) 21 Parson by the lake daydreaming (7) 22 How one comes to confess (5) 23 Model accommodation written about by Ibsen (5,5)

DOWN

2 Able to come back after a stretch (7) 3 Penal settlement in the country (5) 4 It’s any arrangement that makes good sense (6) 5 To tackle this clue is beneath Jack - forgive him (7) 6 Old ship under last bit of sail makes slow movement (5) 7 Bird comes down to earth as target for a marksman (4,6) 8 Suffer injuries - as invaders do? (4,2,4) 13 Fired with real reform and no exaggeration? (7) 15 Decreasing workers (7) 16 Rose is involved in basketwork (6) 18 Old Nick turned up and made his home here (5) 20 Scotsman halved a hole assuming dominance (5)

the easy way ACROSS

1 Only remaining expedient (4,6) 8 Existence (5) 9 Jauntily disreputable (7) 10 Stupid (7) 11 Glorify (5) 12 Summary of information (6) 14 Busy (2,4) 17 Chock (5) 19 Scope (7) 21 Tangle of shrubs (7) 22 Intense sorrow (5) 23 Comply with the rules (3,3,4)

DOWN

2 Permanent (7) 3 Strictly controlled (5) 4 Improve quality of (6) 5 Unconventional (7) 6 Misrepresent meaning of (5) 7 Such things as (3,5,2) 8 Signify essentially (4,4,2) 13 Small mark (7) 15 Sustained applause (7) 16 Put an end to (6) 18 General purport (5) 20 Influential person (5)