THE CROSSWORD

CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS

1 Enthusiasts may wax it (7) 5 Ray is underweight (5) 8 Like to be sure; so find out (9) 9 By way of a Roman road (3) 10 He starts to appear fruitless in the bank (4) 12 Condemn a stupid person holding one back (8) 14 Having a decayed property to rent out (6) 15 Official accepts untrue story in mitigation (6) 17 Capital turn of a Pierrot (8) 18 Plant or uproot (4) 21 A dance that’s not French (3) 22 Ex-prime minister happy to put on weight (9) 24 Trees newly transplanted (5) 25 Media make a stand about false statement (7)

DOWN

1 Not in the mood a number curse (5) 2 Bird watcher occupied part (3) 3 Smoke perhaps or rid yourself of the habit (4) 4 Fuhrer as heard in German songs (6) 5 Inside a solitary fellow is a capital chap (8) 6 Sent to prison but not at once (5,4) 7 One of many carried by the caddy (3,4) 11 Lock in the experts; they only pretend to work (9) 13 The bogus arrangement asked for (8) 14 Decorate from top to bottom or bottom to top (7) 16 Decoration is needed in drab conversion (6) 19 Legal actions? (5) 20 It’s a mixed drink (4) 23 Sash for some of the nobility (3)

QUICK CLUES ACROSS

1 Misrepresent as something else (4,3) 5 Motionless (5) 8 Gradual wearing-down (9) 9 Catch in wrongdoing (3) 10 Greet enthusiastically (4) 12 Be out of one’s depth (8) 14 Expensive (6) 15 Fractious (6) 17 Authoritative (8) 18 A measure taken (4) 21 Equality of value (3) 22 Quick-tempered (9) 24 Impaired by disuse (5) 25 Legal compensation for loss (7)

DOWN

1 A stone fruit (5) 2 Collection (3) 3 Leave out (4) 4 Idiosyncrasy (6) 5 Optimistic (8) 6 Quite sure (2,2,5) 7 Power of free choice (7) 11 To the extent that (2,2,3,2) 13 Cheerful readiness (8) 14 Heavy fall from horse (7) 16 Unfounded rumour (6) 19 Demand immediate action (5) 20 Fraudulent operation (4) 23 Wet spongy ground (3)