the crossword

CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS

1 Introductory letter (7) 4 Incident on Orient Express? (5) 7 Nobleman almost ahead of time (4) 8 Making a loss paid in settlement (8) 10 Measures not intended to be taken seriously (5,5) 12 Excessive fondness for female without attachment (6) 13 Brings back games and increases keenness (6) 15 African oil refined in America (10) 18 End of an academic period in America (8) 19 Indicate a suitable victim (4) 20 Revolutionary type of linen (5) 21 Cost price (7)

Down

1 Thought the end of evil highly desirable (5) 2 Angry when equipment is dropped in water (8) 3 Hang around and see it turn up again (6) 4 An explanation of an attitude no longer held? (10) 5 Yet it’s difficult for busy people to take it (4) 6 Agrees to put the lot in bonds (7) 9 No movement for men only starting a race (10) 11 Man out in storm reaching peak (8) 12 Excavate almost everything with the fingers (7) 14 Time taken by a secretary (6) 16 It’s over a foot (5) 17 I get smuggled out of Middle Eastern country (4)

QUICK CLUES ACROSS

1 To pelt (7) 4 Hidden store (5) 7 Grievous cost of disaster (4) 8 Impinge (8) 10 Demolition of a reputation (7,3) 12 Obtain by scheming (6) 13 Not occupied (6) 15 In the normal way (2,3,5) 18 Announce publicly (8) 19 Adverse criticism (4) 20 Rouse to fresh energy (5) 21 Prosperous and peaceful (7)

DOWN

1 Foul up (5) 2 Aggressively active (8) 3 Be a sign of (6) 4 Shakespearean Roman general (10) 5 A shellfish (4) 6 To display (7) 9 Simple task (6,4) 11 Person injured (8) 12 A monstrous lie (7) 14 Culminating point (6) 16 Represent as similar (5) 17 To defeat (4)

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