the crossword

PUZZLE 14969

CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS

1 Left office and went to bed (7) 5 Small part of a stone carving (5) 8 Is it suitable for eating only in the daytime? (5,4) 9 Send a morse message or intercept one (3) 10 Novice reporter goes to a Caribbean island (4) 12 Doctors should be seen in dry spells (8) 14 An unparticular person (6) 15 The story of Achilles’ heel? (6) 17 Changes locks (8) 18 Employed to collect various dues (4) 21 Mother comes back in a frenzy (3) 22 Lay preacher? (9) 24 Use a divine gift to find water (5) 25 Ponders devious answer (7)

DOWN

1 Scoundrel I catch concealing a souvenir (5) 2 It may show the name of the game (3) 3 Rising star? You must be joking! (4) 4 Gloomy doctor having a bad year (6) 5 Getting cool and rude treatment, blushed (8) 6 So good nobody will play you? (9) 7 Disapproved of what a model did after work (7) 11 Does it have a view on where to swim? (3,6) 13 In turn I’ve become idle (8) 14 Put on Medusa’s form (7) 16 One who foils trespassers? (6) 19 Went out with boys in old hat (5) 20 A doctor’s name (4) 23 The Roman I found among the Goths (3)

QUICK CLUES ACROSS

1 Deal with a backlog (5,2) 5 Lees (5) 8 Show promise of success (5,4) 9 Calm at storm’s centre (3) 10 Sort (4) 12 Act of treachery (8) 14 Discouraging influence (6) 15 Extinguish (6) 17 Official approval (8) 18 Cut with an axe (4) 21 Purpose (3) 22 Devastated (4,5) 24 Very unpleasant (5) 25 Operation of artillery (7)

DOWN

1 Expert (5) 2 Trite quotation (3) 3 Throw with force (4) 4 Vexed (6) 5 Frenzied excitement (8) 6 To the utmost degree (5,4) 7 Underhand procedure (7) 11 Mention particular persons (4,5) 13 In the mind (8) 14 Regard with contempt (7) 16 Fond (6) 19 Devoutness (5) 20 Large waterbird (4) 23 Comprehend (3)