thecrosswords
CRYPTIC CLUES
ACROSS
1 Decided against a bid in spades, perhaps (6) 4 Fought against being declared redundant (8)
9 Native found in bed (6)
10 Times are changing for Arab states (8) 12 Treatment for ache in a head (4)
13 Meat company going short through prohibition (5)
14 Stake for backing a fiery mount (4) 17 Hardly bright ideas! (4,8) 20 Invitation to drink for the successful law student? (4,2,3,3)
23 State without a health centre (4) 24 Support the resistance (5)
25 As a medal it’s unbeatable (4) 28 He superintends - a prophet? (8)
29 He’s named as the girl’s fiancé (6)
30 Keep for a lock (8)
31 They are all right in the square (6)
DOWN
1 Goes for profits (8)
2 It helps if you require a frame up (4,4) 3 Perfect place South West from Sweden (4) 5 Such land is an accepted basis of discussion (6,6)
6 Bill about a land measure (4) 7 Obvious protection for inventive types (6) 8 Get rid of a spindle, perhaps, that hasn’t a central point (6)
11 Educated postman? (3,2,7)
15 It may be drawn or sucked up (5) 16 Feeling irritable? (5)
18 Unusual sort of moral ban (8)
19 Ships, and in them, pirates (8)
21 Sort of pastry brought round to spoil the appetite (3,3)
22 Rush into a job for life (6)
26 It’s sure to upset an employer (4)
27 Be of a mind to be bad-tempered (4)
QUICK CLUES
ACROSS
1 Affording safety (6) 4 Considered altogether (2,1,5) 9 Fight against (6) 10 Industrious (8) 12 Confront (4) 13 Inflicted (5)
14 Detailed scheme (4) 17 Bold and imaginative (12) 20 Disable (12)
23 Not at home (4) 24 Grown-up (5) 25 Mongolian desert (4) 28 A cotton ribbed fabric (8) 29 Insurrection (6)
30 Means of escape (8) 31 Formal discussion (6)
DOWN
1 Without penalty (4-4) 2 Volume (8) 3 Form of corrosion (4) 5 Be indecisive (6-6) 6 Cry of grief (4) 7 Too (6) 8 Prolong (6) 11 With total sincerity (5,3,4) 15 Eccentric person (5) 16 In poor physical condition (5) 18 A colourful glazed pottery (8) 19 A sweet baked topping (8) 21 Revoke (6) 22 Coiffure (4-2) 26 Silence (4) 27 Monetary penalty (4)