{ THE CROSSWORDS }
CRYPTIC CLUES
ACROSS
1 Military band? (6)
4 Stock tune (6)
9 Pit sunk for a Russian space traveller (7) 10 Escort follows the van in front (5) 11 Enclosed by a badly lit back street (5) 12 Give generously when there’s a whip-round? (4,3)
13 It needs to be accurate, even after drink (6-5) 18 Craft workers who could give one’s arm a twist (7)
20 Once the article for sale is returned, say how good it is (5)
22 Don’t have any main course? (5)
23 Rival bird is not on time (7)
24 Seaman in a hold (6)
25 A meeting that seeks spiritual guidance (6)
DOWN
1 Seems a strange herb, openly used by Ali Baba (6)
2 Spherical bullet (5)
3 Joker is made to step out and run (7)
5 A gust swirling, going through Lisbon (5) 6 A beer taken round to France, possibly (7) 7 Sun-worshippers take off for this state (6) 8 Is it used to deal with a deadlock? (8,3) 14 We prefer to be so (7)
15 Sign for implement (7)
16 An Arab country girl rings the doctor up (6) 17 Maintain there’s some body in the beer (6) 19 Tom’s turn to provide a saying (5) 21 Mark’s old couple (5)
QUICK CLUES
ACROSS
1 Wrong treatment (6) 4 Talisman (6)
9 African river (7)
10 Be jubilant (5)
11 Speedy (5) 12 Extensively and thoroughly (2,5) 13 Raconteur (11)
18 Atone for (7)
20 Elector (5)
22 Imprecise (5)
23 Israeli communal farm (7) 24 Very small (6) 25 Impassioned (6)
DOWN
1 Composer of Don Giovanni (6) 2 Form opinion of (3,2)
3 Slim (7)
5 Forward (5)
6 Crush into wrinkles (7) 7 Irritable (6) 8 Unrealistic hopes (3,2,3,3) 14 Whirlwind (7) 15 Endearing (7)
16 A superior writing paper (6) 17 Highly valued (6) 19 Proficient (5)
21 Provoke mockingly (5)