PUZZLE 15600
CRYPTIC CLUES
ACROSS
1 Not well employed? 4 The converse of indolence? (4,4) 9 Descending line in melody (6) 10 It was instrumental in combining rest and play (8) 12 Lose form in the heat (4) 13 Went on a horse to the ring for the show (5) 14 Turns up with a mother cat (4) 17 Private fled in action perhaps (12) 20 One would offer a seat to such a friend! (4-8) 23 Help comes from Elizabeth (4) 24 Article written about the professional stage perhaps (5) 25 Card game depending on luck for a change (4) 28 Bearings led Harry astray (8) 29 She emerges from confusion in Hamlet (6) 30 He doesn’t play alone (8) 31 He’s stupid in trying to open it without a key (6)
DOWN
1 So not out very often (8) 2 Country of growing importance (8) 3 Attack is excellent, in a way (4) 5 An editor sits out a formal discourse (12) 6 After the salmon she gets food poisoning (4) 7 Place to meet after a drive (6) 8 Male typist is an indispensable member of the staff (3,3) 11 Swiss cantons, for example? (7,5) 15 One guide or a good many (5) 16 It’s an order which sometimes perpetuates his name (5) 18 I’d turn a sickly colour and refuse permission (8) 19 At sea no rating is lacking in knowledge (8) 21 Bound to be cruelly treated (6) 22 Recede in order (6) 26 Uninteresting piece of scenery (4) 27 Hit a wild man from the East (4)
QUICK CLUES
ACROSS
1 Vulgarly showy (6) 4 Smart Aleck (8) 9 Somewhat (6) 10 Outrageous (8) 12 Offend (4) 13 Skirmish (5) 14 Rise dramatically (4) 17 An alternative choice (6,6) 20 Inadequate nourishment (12) 23 A split (4) 24 To guide (5) 25 To ruin (4) 28 Find out (8) 29 Barely achieved (6) 30 Wholeness (8) 31 Quick (6)
DOWN
1 Leading (8) 2 Ingenious stratagem (8) 3 Pay attention to (4) 5 Example (12) 6 Irritable (4) 7 Coloured pencil (6) 8 Secure by threats (6) 11 Foreboding (12) 15 Move stealthily (5) 16 Out of condition (5) 18 Differ (8) 19 Approaching (2,3,3) 21 Recognition (6) 22 Compensate for (6) 26 Young horse (4) 27 Stringed instrument (4)