the crosswords
CRYPTIC CLUES
ACROSS
1 Essay for which notes are essential (11) 9 Fantastic sea bird from the Orient (7) 10 Write out a chit or letter (5) 11 Pole enters by way of a special permit (4) 12 Overall advice to the gardener with poor soil (3-5) 14 The occupant is at home with his wife (6) 16 Freshly-made soup, for example, rises in price (4,2) 18 The odds are that it’s almost lunchtime (3,2,3) 19 A major land-mass in every atlas, I assume (4) 22 Right, or in the French wrong (5) 23 Die of cold (3,4) 24 It rises or falls to some degree (11)
DOWN
2 Good place for a date? (5) 3 Look furtively up and down (4) 4 Elder in sore distress (6) 5 It can let actors down on stage (8) 6 Fifty set out perhaps to find means of escape (7) 7 Request from a confident operator or an eager heir? (5,2,2,2) 8 He checks the last move when he wins (5,6) 13 Is he in no hurry to act? (8) 15 Not a subject put on in advance (7) 17 Colour of one doing badly (6) 20 Cause commotion - what impertinence! (5) 21 You might say it when offering a gift - or present (4)
QUICK CLUES
ACROSS
1 Strange as it may seem (5,6) 9 Spiteful (7) 10 Supply sparingly (5) 11 An accepted standard (4) 12 Utterly bewildered (3,2,3) 14 False (6) 16 Performed (6) 18 Unevenly balanced (8) 19 In addition (4) 22 A delicate net fabric (5) 23 Savage (7) 24 Arguments for and against (4,3,4)
DOWN
2 Stage setting (5) 3 Seem ominously close (4) 4 Without difficulty (6) 5 Impediment (8) 6 Contradict (7) 7 Possible outcome (11) 8 Vicissitudes (3,3,5) 13 Commercial activity (8) 15 Boozer (7) 17 Purposive planning (6) 20 A citrus fruit (5) 21 Cleverly stylish (4)