THE CROSSWORD

CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS

1 Fish-eating bird is thus seen returning with victim (6) 4 High range of service provided (6) 9 Loud and biased form of amusement (7) 10 Players take their time watching it (5) 11 Unexpected defeat for team ahead initially (5) 12 Get lean in order to be graceful (7) 13 Bus operator and trainer to a golf club (5,6) 18 Far too much for bridge perhaps (3,4) 20 Is violent and ruins the gears (5) 22 One way to apply a finish to education (5) 23 Like an egg it’s blown (7) 24 She works in order to do good (6) 25 Go up in the world? (6)

DOWN

1 Remnant is substandard needing price reduction (6) 2 Yearns for some evergreen trees (5) 3 I holds things up for hours at a stretch (7) 5 Blame fracture for mount’s pace (5) 6 This is properly defined as lying (7) 7 Excellent to include it within limits (6) 8 A question of sentry duty? (6,2,3) 14 No mortal abode could be so lumpy (7) 15 Hostile incursions where the fleet lies at anchor? (7) 16 Stewed hash may suit the countryman (6) 17 Is left and right in the water (6) 19 Sinuous slave dance (5) 21 Appearance of men it is said (5)

QUICK CLUES ACROSS

1 Depressive influence (6) 4 Wriggle (6) 9 Hotchpotch (7) 10 Laud (5) 11 Inexpensive (5) 12 After all that has happened (4,3) 13 Not hesitate (4,2,5) 18 Empty threats (7) 20 Advantage (5) 22 Make sense (3,2) 23 Farthest (7) 24 Pour scorn on (6) 25 Incautious (6)

DOWN

1 Disfigure (6) 2 Combine (5) 3 Punishment as warning to others (7) 5 A waiting line (5) 6 Showing strong feeling (7) 7 Country formerly Nyasaland (6) 8 Meet with disaster (4,2,5) 14 Into parts (7) 15 At tedious length (2,3,2) 16 On a ship (6) 17 Peremptorily (6) 19 Slightly warm (5) 21 Pleasing smell (5)