THE CROSSWORDS
CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS
1 Gets excited about a point reached in development (5) 8 Took part with spirit on an instrument (4,4) 9 Heaped like carpets? (5) 10 Emphasises the potential of an Oriental artiste (8) 11 Don is produced theatrically (3,2) 12 One may see one in the museum of Natural History (3) 16 Note carrier soaked and all in (6) 17 She’s involved in stage, films and radio (6) 18 Get on with some notes (3) 23 A portion of rhubarb jam (5) 24 Taken ill (8) 25 They drift for the present on board ship (5) 26 Shot by firing squad and carried out (8) 27 The kind that turns green (5)
DOWN
2 Food in test case is exhibited in court (8) 3 Beer long brewed in France (8) 4 Two lads, one suffers (6) 5 I drew out something strange (5) 6 Western ceremony put down (5) 7 An inspiration to entertain (5) 12 Initially when to expect a letter from Greece (3) 13 Purposeful employment? (3) 14 Conceivably isn’t acne in this case (8) 15 Conflict in which counter charges may be the deciding factor (5,3) 19 A warm spring we hear for an old man (6) 20 Tongue of land between Italy and Turkey (5) 21 It has a shaky reputation as a writer (5) 22 Enter into an American business contract with ancient city (5)
QUICK CLUES ACROSS
1 Friendship (5) 8 Of highest quality (3-5) 9 Site of Nile High Dam (5) 10 Solo and orchestral piece (8) 11 Pal (5) 12 Network (3) 16 Suffer extreme hunger (6) 17 Writer (6) 18 Secluded room (3) 23 To calm (5) 24 Up to the present time (8) 25 Wander away (5) 26 Put up with (8) 27 Lively Bohemian dance (5)
DOWN
2 Small biting insect (8) 3 From side to side (2,3,3) 4 Prairie wolf (6) 5 Light meal (5) 6 All too clear (5) 7 Photographic session (5) 12 Marry (3) 13 Prohibit (3) 14 Slender dagger (8) 15 Hatchet (8) 19 Existence (6) 20 Snowy (5) 21 Motionless (5) 22 Uncanny (5)