the crossword

CRYPTIC CLUES

ACROSS

1 Obtain pass (4,2) 4 Sound of water? (6) 9 Wreckage seen as flotilla leader almost blows up (7) 10 A yashmak is said to bring some benefit (5) 11 A new duo I gave a hearing (5) 12 Many set free (7) 13 Does it make things barely visible? (3,5,3) 18 Wild cat and bear as double act in the show (7) 20 Alert for a change in the future (5) 22 A coin used by many in the kingdom (5) 23 Such food is grown naturally (7) 24 Listen out but it may emerge as inaudible (6) 25 Condescends to work in a ship (6)

DOWN

1 Strange fact on an Islamic habit (6) 2 Made a low sound (5) 3 Graduates meeting shortly? It’s in the wind (7) 5 A profit is made once more (5) 6 Utterly unacceptable evidence (7) 7 We hear there’s ill-feeling for some people (6) 8 Tom Baker in a muddle going on board (11) 14 Sole reinforcement (7) 15 Gild the arrangement to get greatest pleasure (7) 16 Accounts to be settled in large numbers (6) 17 Record bands (6) 19 Type of French novel (5) 21 It takes two to add zest to love (5)

QUICK CLUES ACROSS

1 Empty boastful talk (3,3) 4 Lasting (6) 9 Fixed way of thinking (7) 10 Extra (5) 11 Spiny flowering shrub (5) 12 Recover from (3,4) 13 Callous (4,2,5) 18 Colonist (7) 20 Narrow gradually to point (5) 22 Upright (5) 23 Liken (7) 24 Preferably (6) 25 A particular feature (6)

DOWN

1 Dutiful reverence (6) 2 Male singing voice (5) 3 As an alternative (7) 5 Area of land (5) 6 To plague (7) 7 Put up with (6) 8 Eager to become an actor (5-6) 14 1920s/1930s design style (3,4) 15 Occasionally (2,5) 16 Evaluate (6) 17 Passionate (6) 19 Flexible (5) 21 Identify (5)