THE CROSSWORD

PUZZLE 14974

CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS

1 Escape route taken by aircraft (6,4) 8 Large cat makes a row about midnight (5) 9 0 to be in credit for one month! (7) 10 Doesn’t convey a clear message say in writing (7) 11 Victorious and advancing for the Polish capital (2,3) 12 A diminutive person - or a ten-footer (6) 14 Appear to give embarrassment (4,2) 17 Reg comes back about four - he’s got a present (5) 19 Iron sort of cup (7) 21 Strange role man plays in charitable occupation (7) 22 Mother is set back by our love affair (5) 23 The plight of the penitent? (5,5)

DOWN

2 The girl looks different having slimmed (7) 3 Overindulge in food or scrambled egg (5) 4 Maoist is involved in Chinese philosophy (6) 5 Ancient city where Syrians went to a chin-wag? (7) 6 It’s customary for riding (5) 7 Plotters use it (5,5) 8 It tells us when a fresh batch of mail gets in (4,6) 13 Itinerant craftsman (7) 15 Reckon to keep fit (4,3) 16 A way man gets lost (6) 18 Improvises with 5 amp fuses (5) 20 Spilled a pint being clumsy (5)

QUICK CLUES ACROSS

1 Full of suspense (4-6) 8 Weary (5) 9 Warm scarf (7) 10 Indefinitely many (7) 11 Deep chasm (5) 12 Youthful (6) 14 Roar like a bull (6) 17 Father and son, French authors (5) 19 Football goalpost (7) 21 In conflict (7) 22 V-shaped indentation (5) 23 At close quarters (4-2-4)

DOWN

2 Emaciation (7) 3 Shelf (5) 4 Exempt (6) 5 Exacerbate (7) 6 Water-worn channel (5) 7 A small timepiece (10) 8 Gesture of rejection (6,4) 13 A sitting (7) 15 Alleviate (7) 16 Restricted spending allowance (6) 18 Laughter (5) 20 North American livestock

farm (5)