{ THE CROSSWORDS }

CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS

1 Part of a religious faction I get on with (7) 4 A weapon useless by itself (5)

7 Excellent yet not well done (4)

8 Deceives a girl about to go in front (8) 10 Come to a mean conclusion (7,3)

12 He’s mastered the art of eating out (6) 13 Association distributing claret (6)

15 Though concerned, possibly resented it (10) 18 Agitated prude and kind of statue that agitates him (8)

19 Little colour in soft drink (4)

20 I’d follow Tim being shy (5)

21 Even this dog will have his day, someday perhaps (7)

DOWN

1 Ray is out in the country (5)

2 Prevalence of money (8)

3 Fixed form of denial (6)

4 Nearly everyone it seems makes a lawful bet (3,3,1,3)

5 Genuine old Spanish coin (4) 6 Spendthrift Walter’s reformed (7) 9 Assume responsibility for, but dupe the employee (4,2,4)

11 Solid achievements by people good at figures? (8)

12 Drain a pipe (7)

14 Holiday retreat (6)

16 Be afraid of disturbing an adder (5) 17 Male and female parent (4)

QUICK CLUES ACROSS

1 An invented story (7) 4 Complete trust (5)

7 Fill to bursting (4) 8 Infinite time (8) 10 Relevant (2,3,5)

12 Confer (6)

13 Fierce (6)

15 Literary theft (10)

18 Great wickedness (8) 19 Sport of unarmed combat (4) 20 A water lily (5)

21 Form of target-shooting (7)

DOWN

1 Particular aspect (5) 2 Censure severely (8) 3 Vague idea (6)

4 By a wide margin (3,3,4) 5 Coloured part of eye (4) 6 Out of control (7)

9 City associated with jazz (3,7) 11 Permitted freedom of action (8) 12 To plague (7)

14 East African country (6) 16 Sullen (5)

17 Surfeit (4)