CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

Across 1. Where the railway man practices the sprint? (5,5) 8. Found something shiny and valuable in the intriguing old envelope (6)

9. I retract what I said about the bevelled edge (6) 11. Poisonous tilt? Maybe in this stance (5,8)

13. Little credit to have two points at the end of July – Like New Zealand and Australia used to be (5,6)

18. Noting tenth ox was sold for a song (4,2,7)

20. The sheer enthusiasm of the flashgun ghost (6) 22. Antiquated, dateless and cute (6)

24. Do people need thin girths to wear them? (10) Down 2. Alter or get the story teller (7) 3. The anger of Ireland we hear (and see) (3)

4. Allege gets legless with it (3) 5. The colour of the army vehicle starter, we hear (5)

6. Possesses inner strength of a hippo ten times our size (6)

7. A gymnast is lithe evidently, first and foremost (5)

10. Vocal? No! – but sometimes can be very loud (7)

12. All in all returned not feeling crash hot (3)

14. Intelligence goes without saying as demonstrated (3)

15. I get more suspicious around the rowdier sort (7)

16. Imagine I no longer have a riddle (6)

17. It’s a marble entranceway by the sound of it (5)

19. Kiss and get nothing in return – just gas (5)

21. Found the ugly woman in the bog ... (3)

23. … “yuk!” Said Mr Heffner, off his head! (3)