{ THE CROSSWORDS }
CRYPTIC CLUES
ACROSS
1 Magic may concern transformations (10)
8 Agreed to lose a selfish characteristic (5)
9 Brutality involving cutlery? (7)
10 Inspect what was once a mineral deposit (7)
11 Ron is out to be useful to the violinist (5)
12 Tell us if Tony gets upset (6)
14 All for making a sort of arrangement (6)
17 Going with some hesitation to tender (5)
19 Easier form of ignition (7)
21 Producing some scaffolding (7)
22 The scope of a Western film? (5)
23 Well in front, not left behind (5,5)
DOWN
2 A gentle arrangement exhibiting good taste (7)
3 More than one spoke (5)
4 He joins a Scandinavian in a drink (6)
5 Not the sort of gear for go-ahead people (7)
6 Shouts out agreement about a fifty-fifty arrangement (5)
7 Generally speaking, any garbled version will do (2,3,5)
8 He urges one to change to facilitate quick growth (10)
13 Continual growth is essential to this industry (7)
15 Type of building well-known in architectural circles? (7)
16 Minor offence (6)
18 A special aptitude for illuminating targets, say (5)
20 Measure right round (5)
QUICK CLUES
ACROSS
1 Arbitrary (4-6)
8 To lead to a place (5)
9 Female singing voice (7)
10 Excess (7)
11 Killed (5)
12 Bear witness (6)
14 Narrow passage of water (6)
17 Exclude (5)
19 Hermit (7)
21 Jumpy (7)
22 Rowdy fight (5)
23 Inveterate (4-6)
DOWN
2 Receive as legacy (7)
3 Multitude (5)
4 Realisable possessions (6)
5 Down payment (7)
6 Stage play (5)
7 Generally shabby (4,2,4)
8 Honest (10)
13 Dickensian miser (7)
15 Praise excessively (7)
16 Decisive moment (6)
18 Uninterested (5)
20 Venomous snake (5)