{ THE CROSSWORDS }

CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS

1 Scented and affected offspring (10) 8 Something growing in the wood (5) 9 Locate unpleasant smell, but this won’t cure it (7)

10 Employment of paper folders (7)

11 There’s a moral in the thickness of thieves (5) 12 Bash in, perhaps, and drive away (6)

14 War zone is subject of many a novel article (6) 17 Mean to get drunk (5)

19 Diary MP compiles certainly comes to the point (7)

21 Former liberal creates a precedent (7)

22 Tag on for a dance (5)

23 One’s hotel accommodation (6,4)

DOWN

2 An excuse can appear so naive (7)

3 This dance can go all over the place (5) 4 It means you won’t get spotted at mealtimes (6)

5 It doesn’t pay him to be sporting (7) 6 They meet for a bite (5)

7 To borrow money and move away is risk (5,3,2) 8 Be a superior gardener, and become even more so (4,6)

13 Determined to attack (3,4)

15 A reminder men hold me to (7)

16 Call for superior judgment (6)

18 They are in a box in the car (5)

20 It’s essential to a helicopter going up or

down (5)

QUICK CLUES ACROSS

1 Silly behaviour (10) 8 Defraud (5)

9 A sweet sauce (7) 10 Arrange in order (7) 11 More than usually (5) 12 False rumour (6) 14 Innumerable (6) 17 Impervious (5) 19 Acknowledge grudgingly (7) 21 Scott Joplin’s music (7) 22 Group of singers (5) 23 Strictly businesslike (2-8)

DOWN

2 Infest (7)

3 Be sold for (5) 4 Supernatural (6) 5 Oriental (7)

6 A fermenting substance (5) 7 Book of Nonsense author (6,4) 8 Absurdly chaotic (5-5) 13 Bully (7)

15 Oppressive (7)

16 To shelter (6) 18 Keyboard instrument (5) 20 Fitting position (5)