THE CROSSWORDS

PUZZLE 15705

CRYPTIC CLUES

ACROSS

1 Fitting task for a puzzle addict? (6)

4 Irish girl makes an offer about an outfit (6) 9 Master takes female, fifty, in marriage (7) 10 We go round in a hundred and don’t enjoy it, it seems! (5)

11 Point in a record that is at full length (5) 12 Speech might indicate where one’s home is (7)

13 An engagement, in the main (5,6)

18 Secret serviceman? (7)

20 Combine into one military formation by the end of the battle (5)

22 Freezing some confectionery (5)

23 Try to make a little yarn go a long way? (4,3) 24 Times when things look different (6) 25 Guest who finishes the course? (6)

DOWN

1 Glass container gives crowd a shock (6)

2 Film actress in the dress circle (5)

3 A tug in a storm in the West Indies (7) 5 Quarrelled, or returned and married (5) 6 Polite chap goes to fish (7)

7 Got up smartly (6)

8 To tell the truth, one may make it (5,6) 14 Getting up a revolt? (7)

15 He seeks relaxation - I trust nothing will disturb him! (7)

16 Put little work into bad choice (6)

17 Bill isn’t paid by him (6)

19 Means of communication for thieves of paintings to go into (5)

21 Cream and gold seen in a plant (5)

QUICK CLUES

ACROSS

1 Cutting reply (6) 4 Revoke (6) 9 Mentally confused (5-2) 10 Group of eight (5) 11 Specialised market (5) 12 Exacerbate (7) 13 Preemptive attack (5,6) 18 Utterly disorganised (7) 20 Postpone (5) 22 Inexact (5) 23 Central mass (7) 24 Quieten with a drug (6) 25 Positively (6)

DOWN

1 Cause to remember (6) 2 Poisonous (5)

3 Set right (7) 5 Withdrawn (5) 6 Reduction (7) 7 Scattered rubbish (6) 8 An instant (5,6)

14 To put it briefly (2,1,4) 15 Far-reaching (7) 16 Weighing machine (6) 17 Cool in manner (6) 19 An unexpected pleasure (5) 21 Navy (5)