the crosswords

CRYPTIC CLUES

ACROSS 1 Girl bather in trouble and out of breath (6) 4 An old fool (6) 9 Decide to show determination (7) 10 Having a setback about work, drinks heavily (5) 11 Cast worth going out to see (5) 12 I’m old-fashioned; there’s no getting away from it (7) 13 The kind of habits soldiers get into (11) 18 Doctor Roy; he is going on foot (7) 20 Amusing article about a lawyer in modern times (5) 22 Very close to being drunk? (5) 23 A group of musicians performing in desert (7) 24 April’s turned out to be springlike (6) 25 A man in supreme command (6) DOWN 1 Show displeasure at beer

being spilt (6) 2 A revolting individual seen in

flight (5) 3 Strike about silly flaw

revealed by fool (7) 5 Cavorting poets seen

in bar (5) 6 Staff of office? (7) 7 It’s reddish-brown but not

orange (6) 8 Fellow expected to come up

with the goods (11) 14 A ship for example having

first-rate missile (7) 15 Look again for signs of

wayward caterer (7) 16 They require taking snap

decisions (6) 17 A child of the pen (6) 19 One of a crowd of actors

moreover (5) 21 US city to avoid (5)

QUICK CLUES

ACROSS 1 Equality in status (6) 4 Unruffled (6) 9 Instruction (7) 10 Himalayan country (5) 11 Eccentric enthusiast (5) 12 Green gem (7) 13 Comprehensive (4-7) 18 Representative (7) 20 Relative by marriage (2-3) 22 Underlying meaning (5) 23 Payable in advance (7) 24 Trenchant wit exposing pretensions (6) 25 To swindle (6) DOWN 1 Disconcert (3,3) 2 Collect (5) 3 Feeble flow (7) 5 Cavalry spear (5) 6 Ship’s master (7) 7 Mislead (6) 8 Out of favour (5,1,5) 14 Stamp (7) 15 Profitable (7) 16 In conflict (2,4) 17 Envelop (6) 19 Provide food (5) 21 Imprecise (5)