THE CROSSWORDS

CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS

1 Direction to carry on packing (7)

5 A bad time to sell wild plums (5) 8 Going close to breaking the law (9) 9 Girl to take your hat? (3)

10 Sounds like the end of the story (4) 12 MP’s excuse for absence is weakened (8) 14 Shut up (6)

15 Paradoxically sinks money in a new company (6)

17 This way won’t get you anywhere (3-2-3) 18 Side of fresh meat (4)

21 Animal seen in the menagerie (3) 22 Engaged in current affairs? (2,3,4) 24 Praise for former duty we hear (5) 25 Number in coma possibly wandering around (7)

DOWN

1 Fire new growth (5)

2 Lout of a sort (3)

3 It’s socially acceptable in a worker - a relative (4)

4 Variation in game puzzles people (6) 5 Sallying out in a remarkable way (8)

6 The printer draws his capital from it (5,4)

7 A deity father’s seen around Eastern temples (7)

11 I’ll get him prepared for publicity’s glare (9) 13 Disposal of property not subject to tax - it’s voluntary (4,4)

14 Smoke and produce an angry reaction (7) 16 Unrestrained desire to get on (6)

19 Operatic heroine many imitate (5)

20 It describes time at school (4)

23 We would shortly be married (3)

QUICK CLUES ACROSS

1 Most important (7)

5 Brisk and decisive (5) 8 Frank (9)

9 Bit of private information (3) 10 Flightless nocturnal bird (4) 12 By instinct (8) 14 Informal (6)

15 Country of east Europe (6) 17 Of late (8)

18 Speak irritably (4) 21 Division of geological time (3) 22 Detest (9) 24 Perfunctory (5) 25 Unsteady with age (7)

DOWN

1 To disguise (5)

2 After all deductions (3) 3 Ready for harvesting (4) 4 Taste (6)

5 An aromatic spice (8) 6 For the most part (2,3,4) 7 Staring in amazement (3-4) 11 Smart pithy remark (9) 13 Keep up (8)

14 Flow of electricity (7)

16 A nut (6) 19 Dutifulness in religion (5) 20 Oblige by promise (4) 23 Card with value one (3)