the crosswords

CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS

1 The A-team is involved in rifle events (5,6) 9 Conscience-stricken, has made amends (7) 10 The Irish lost more than half of them (5) 11 Repair an interjection (4) 12 They enter offices uninvited (8) 14 Change planes in Italy (6) 16 Hate to see articles lined up (6) 18 Make a good friend in the accepted way (8) 19 Broken sculpture (4) 22 Become a sitting tenant (5) 23 Dress again in regal fashion (7) 24 Superior mixture of modern paint (11)

DOWN

2 Blood of the gods upsets the choir (5) 3 Rising American politician in the car (4) 4 Describing one with the most experience of life (6) 5 Without an outward appearance? (8) 6 Always set out for the highest peak (7) 7 Strict hand drafts a new order (4,3,4) 8 Looking for golden opportunities? (11) 13 Went dead (8) 15 One after another (7) 17 It rouses after the manner of strong spirit (6) 20 A league match (5) 21 Sea chief (4)

QUICK CLUES ACROSS

1 Occasionally (3,3,5) 9 Also not (7) 10 Landlocked country of south Asia (5) 11 Entreat earnestly (4) 12 Under cover (2,6) 14 Oblige (6) 16 Ski-race down zigzag course (6) 18 Irrationality (8) 19 Impatient desire (4) 22 Financially sound (5) 23 Vague suspicion (7) 24 Punctually (2,3,6)

DOWN

2 In arrears (5) 3 Continuous dull pain (4) 4 Audacious (6) 5 In a wary manner (8) 6 Put at risk (7) 7 At the appropriate moment (2,3,6) 8 Unparalleled maximum level (3-4,4) 13 Roofed gallery attached to house (8) 15 Sour kind of dark cherry (7) 17 Orchestral conductor’s rostrum (6) 20 Contaminate (5) 21 Hide (4)