CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Cheat told conundrums changing ends around (7) 5 Wreckage in half of Family Fortunes (7) 9 Craftily creates numerous defensive tactics (7-8) 10 Sovereign that will keep one going straight (5) 11 Goss worked with novel romantic numbers (4,5) 12 Historic vessel takes PM to river (9) 14 Stepped on it going round kitchen, finally getting fork out (5) 15 Some famous Yorkshiremen lacking charisma (5) 16 Drill cuts out round emergency room (9) 18 Artist’s distinctive design described by strange term (9) 21 Avoid First Lady touring area with diamonds (5) 22 County formerly seeking teachers’ charter (15) 23 Trips over in performing a study (4,3) 24 Talk about southern herb (7)

DOWN

1 Art style with strange decency (7) 2 Footballer gets millions for nothing having letter, we hear, to go on old quiz show (6,4,5) 3 Improvement towards the end in heading for one side (9) 4 River, Russian one, in the country (5) 5 Poetic style produces great excitement round about Home Counties (4,5) 6 Place for refreshment that’s ordinary in its present state (5) 7 Dog chewed up grannie’s slipper (8,7) 8 Half-hearted wife journalist treated badly (7) 13 Cavalier, to support little free time after work (9) 14 Heir hit gold (9) 15 Demonstrated with craft in sea (7) 17 Flats etc providing pleasant views (7) 19 Greek character carrying in dosh (5) 20 Group of soldiers has bad time in revolution (5)