{ THE CROSSWORDS }
CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS
1 Proverbially thick set? (7)
5 and 23 Down: It floated a company using the double-entry system (5,3)
8 Revised plan in use for a land project (9) 9 Left with a thousand to beat (3)
10 Service dress (4)
12 Plant it in haste (8)
14 Public presentation of first-class band (6) 15 Produced a publication and is taken to court (6) 17 Sticking together, he said no changes are needed (8)
18 A refuge from one’s troubles (4)
21 She often has to kneel in an uncomfortable position (3)
22 The impression it gives varies from day to day (4,5)
24 Cask Edward put into good order (5)
25 One giving a talk - on the radio? (7)
DOWN
1 Subject to reduced illustration (5)
2 I get directions for the pub (3)
3 Six points for a climber (4) 4 Cup-holder? (6)
5 Ten areas perhaps that defined the Ottoman Empire (4,4)
6 A lie’s true if it’s fabricated without haste (2,7) 7 Breed of dog that will change some day (7) 11 Ruined temple to knock up, then forward (9) 13 It could be indeed so unfair (3-5)
14 Not for profit in a way (7)
16 Embryo to fuse together somehow (6) 19 Light with a tendency to grow less? (5) 20 Such a spot misled no doctor (4)
23 See 5 Across
QUICK CLUES
ACROSS
1 US lawman (7) 5 Traitor (5)
8 Space to move freely (5,4) 9 Devotee (3)
10 Firmly fixed (4) 12 Suitable (8)
14 Feeling penitent (6) 15 Divulge (6)
17 Mixed alcoholic drink (8) 18 Front part of a boat (4) 21 Ornamental vase (3) 22 Living by plundering (9) 24 Correspond (5) 25 Condense (7)
DOWN
1 Bundle of papers (5) 2 Recede (3)
3 Central US state (4) 4 Turned to ice (6)
5 Large rally of Scouts (8) 6 Overly shy (9)
7 West African republic (7) 11 Middle East waterway (4,5) 13 Become more numerous (8) 14 Relate (7)
16 Motion pictures (6) 19 Possibly (5) 20 Equitable (4) 23 Strange (3)