CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

Across 1. Canal vendor does not turn up in rendezvous (4)

3. Battle ship assistant in strength game (3,2,3)

9. Aesop left expectations forever (7) 10. Remove Victoria from inside (5) 11. Descriptive of a shapely comet? (8,4)

13. Strange, a miner, marine and airmen stay (6)

15. The result of taking a shine to something (6)

17. You’re lucky to be plaintive, Rod (12)

20. Sounds like fruit is on the level ... (5)

21. ... first to be ripe, mum (7) 22. The tension overcome when you get the hang of it? (8)

23. A country of taxi ranks (4)

Down

1. Male farmer – but if a certain European, is a dog (8)

2. Part of the movie crowd ... (5) 4. ... a great many not talked about (6)

5. Fell over doing the books wrong? (12)

6. Strange bunch of words, ie (7) 7. Learn something off Patrick? (4) 8. Be unliveable? Totally unlikely! (12)

12. Cancel my potted flower (8) 14. No token question mark for the title (7)

16. Takes on and selects short commercial addition (6)

18. Colder here in France with hesitation (5)

19. Music written for the cat? (4)