{ THE CROSSWORDS }
CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS
1 A cheater cheated? Turn a blind eye (7) 5 Brush or brushwood (5) 8 In this form, two sides are perfectly matched (9) 9 Consumed but not all eaten (3) 10 Right out of line (4) 12 Star skater is upset (8) 14 Untidy little beasts (6) 15 He has an important job, on paper (6) 17 Arrests about a thousand supporters (8) 18 Bill joins me at the summit (4) 21 Play one’s part out of character (3) 22 Put the stopper on soft drinks dispenser (9) 24 Yet it may be quite a young tree (5) 25 One would have to go back in time to get it (7)
DOWN
1 It’s cold, but I would make it hot (5) 2 There’s no holding a key man given some authority (3) 3 Twice reduced by 50% (4) 4 Come into service? (6) 5 Forces one to hang about instead of going to work (8) 6 Article is made practical (9) 7 Small cask for fresh water - or sea water? (7) 11 Reckoned the date and times are changed (9) 13 Don’t forget about a person in society (8) 14 Unofficial news of an escape (7) 16 In a way my sort is hardly fair (6) 19 One may slip and fall into it (5) 20 It’s neckwear, we hear, for the dandy (4) 23 Enjoy spadework? (3)
QUICK CLUES ACROSS
1 A fever (7) 5 To chatter (5) 8 Wearisome routine (9) 9 Useful hint (3) 10 Pile (4) 12 Standards for judging (8) 14 A French brandy (6) 15 Lay waste (6) 17 Supplier (8) 18 To lash (4) 21 Be indebted for (3) 22 Advance indication (9) 24 Of the sun (5) 25 Fast (7)
DOWN
1 Be equal to (5) 2 Be situated (3) 3 Primitive (4) 4 Large cage for birds (6) 5 Spacious and splendid (8) 6 Consequence (9) 7 Atone for (7) 11 Show good prospects (5,4) 13 Believed to be (5,3) 14 Abundant (7) 16 Intense repugnance (6) 19 Devoutness (5) 20 Stage in a process (4) 23 Sorrowful (3)