the crossword

CRYPTIC CLUES

ACROSS 1 A lever used to take the lid off (6) 4 They’re trained to attack idle workers (8) 9 Girl is found in dreadful need (6) 10 Rotating arm (8) 12 City of around three million, possibly

more (4) 13 Historic meetings (5) 14 Farm labourer cut flower (4) 17 Are they not to be seen in modern discotheques? (6,6) 20 What they do and don’t observe defines them (12) 23 Went quickly - to keep out of sight it’s said (4) 24 Two pairs of braces (5) 25 Crippled in sport (4) 28 Cheeky chap at university (8) 29 The robber is audibly forbidden to take it (6) 30 Reason it out with a foreign girl (8) 31 Supposes I leave this about printing paste (6) Down 1 Does it provide treatment for the hot and peevish? (3,5) 2 It’s poisonous; move us on out of the way (8) 3 Part of the church is a pseudo-Gothic style (4) 5 Instantly; but not here and now (5,3,4) 6 A club with lofty aims (4) 7 Begrudged having to compete in the final round (6) 8 Several horses right to take for a ride outside (6) 11 Bringing down a plane used for disembarking troops (7,5) 15 Keen on exercising for vault (5) 16 Drove by the sound of it - or tried (5) 18 Switch positions every so often (3,3,2) 19 Material not to be made light of (8) 21 Changes of clothing (6) 22 Humble cleric takes me in (6) 26 Overcook fish (4) 27 Rush to execute hastily (4)

QUICK CLUES

ACROSS 1 Destructive swarming insect (6) 4 Animated (8) 9 Person causing wanton damage (6) 10 Of the greatest importance (8) 12 Accompanied by (4) 13 Packs tidily (5) 14 Stopper (4) 17 Fit, if not strictly legal treatment (5,7) 20 Very remote place (4,2,6) 23 Wander (4) 24 Twenty (5) 25 Distribute cards to players (4) 28 Give approval to (8) 29 Marionette (6) 30 Be more important than (8) 31 Emaciated (6) DOWN 1 Forceful energetic person (4,4) 2 Interpret (8) 3 Done on spur of the moment (4) 5 Take foolish risks (4,4,4) 6 Discourteous (4) 7 Language (6) 8 Downpour (6) 11 Prompted feeling of sympathy (6,1,5) 15 Area of shallow water (5) 16 Group of eight (5) 18 Simple and unsophisticated (8) 19 Great adulation (8) 21 In quick tempo (6) 22 Broad tree-lined road (6) 26 Rise from sleep (4) 27 Linger furtively (4)