{ THE CROSSWORDS }
CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS
1 Looking for a short cut for riders to use (7,4)
9 Increase Aunt Meg’s confusion (7) 10 Father turns the tap with hesitation (5) 11 Objects when tips are offered? (4)
12 A cutback difficult for fish (8)
14 No way out for undercover activities? (6)
16 Fireman who doesn’t put fires out (6) 18 Standard feature of most city streets (8) 19 A fur for a foreign lady (4)
22 Children that may be well read? (5) 23 Possibly end with a true version, though it’s altogether false (7)
24 A record turnover? (7,4)
DOWN
2 Did some pressing (5)
3 Address of the Quakers (4)
4 He’s stupid in trying to open it without a key (6)
5 Surpass a large town in volume (8) 6 Australian bush (7)
7 Sort of help that’s not fancied? (8,3) 8 The ways of business (5,6)
13 Full make up? (8)
15 Possibly send me to Eastern estate (7) 17 Remarks we’re not supposed to hear as the team comes in (6)
20 Plump for some drinks (5)
21 Hotels in capitals of Norway and Sweden (4)
QUICK CLUES ACROSS
1 Put an early stop to (3,2,3,3) 9 Viewed as a whole (7) 10 South Asian republic (5) 11 Explanatory comment (4) 12 Entire (8)
14 A food shellfish (6) 16 Confidential warning (3-3) 18 Norwegian explorer (8) 19 Norwegian capital (4) 22 Schedule (5) 23 Conceive (7) 24 Saltatory insect (11)
DOWN
2 Clumsy (5)
3 Leader of prayer in mosque (4) 4 Special aptitude (6) 5 Widespread outbreak (8) 6 To experience (7) 7 Pragmatic (4-2-5) 8 Variety of cabbage (11) 13 Taking no notice (8) 15 Sleep (7)
17 Fixation (6)
20 Excel (5)
21 Stringed instrument (4)