THE CROSSWORDS
CRYPTIC CLUES
ACROSS
1 Plays for time in the theatre (6) 4 Influenced in an unnatural way (8) 9 Mother hits out on August 1st (6) 10 Lose track of account in simple form (8) 12 Neil turned right (4)
13 Cooked meats provide energy (5) 14 In December I’m expecting frost (4) 17 Still twenty required to get even (6,1,5) 20 Conduct a consuming interest? (5,7) 23 About a thousand sheets of paper (4) 24 Check out of Kabul (5)
25 Girl getting rave review (4) 28 Discovers it’s fun to do wrong (5,3) 29 Verdi’s composition transmits power (6) 30 This is dropped by plants for birds (8) 31 A number put on tissue (6)
DOWN
1 Not in one’s own interest (8)
2 Arrests about a thousand supporters (8) 3 It’s bound to mean a change of plea (4)
5 It’s the done thing in France (4,8)
6 See a letter goes to the agent (4) 7 Distressing twitch about to irritate (6) 8 Motor sled that is constructed (6) 11 You’re welcome to define a gratifying experience (3,1,8)
15 Cover for person with a dagger (5)
16 Not just any type of injury (5)
18 Kept quiet (8)
19 Two fools in murderous combination (8) 21 A professional apt to benefit (6)
22 One who deserves what he gets (6) 26 Customs applications (4)
27 The charge is about right, but you don’t have to pay (4)
QUICK CLUES
ACROSS
1 Wheedle (6) 4 Unanimously (2,3,3) 9 Shortsightedness (6) 10 Trading centre (8) 12 Shakespearean king (4) 13 Oppress cruelly (5)
14 To fly (4)
17 Warm spell in late autumn (6,6) 20 Public declaration (12)
23 Part played (4)
24 Narrow street (5)
25 East Asian desert (4)
28 Poor comic verse (8) 29 Leave off (6)
30 Cruel (8)
31 Lively (6)
DOWN
1 State a grievance (8) 2 Danger (8)
3 Beast’s den (4) 5 Unsophisticated (6-6)
6 Gas used in lighting (4)
7 For the most part (6)
8 Sum total (6) 11 Associate closely (3,9)
15 Jeer at (5)
16 Gem (5)
18 System of fitness exercises (8) 19 Precisely (8) 21 Merchant (6) 22 Unfortunate situation (6)
26 Fir or pine wood (4) 27 Tolerate (4)