THE CROSSWORD

PUZZLE 15072

CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS

1 To avoid disturbed rest is essential (6) 4 Made much of being under great strain (8) 9 Attend but cause embarrassment (4,2) 10 Reply with an invitation to return (8) 12 Longing to see Italian church (4) 13 To doctors they’re grave situations (5) 14 Ground plan (4) 17 Way to describe a priest of his main quality? (3,9) 20 One who is out and about (12) 23 Help for a worker (4) 24 Guy brings back an Italian lady (5) 25 Fairy required - some experience necessary (4) 28 He succeeds where all others fail (4,4) 29 Run through a life’s work (6) 30 One out after dark needs own light to see (5,3) 31 Not open for business yet clinched a deal (6)

Down

1 He did noted work on the fountains of Rome (8) 2 Ready money affected by the Shops Act (4,4) 3 Said only to be one person (4) 5 Its owner won’t have a clear conscience (8,4) 6 Witnesses a key agreement (4) 7 Plays for time in the theatre (6) 8 Knock out some facts about an aircraft (6) 11 Appears to enter and watch TV? (4,4,4) 15 He adopted a measure - to try to stop Christmas (5) 16 Range over an area in a clean-up

operation (5) 18 Stakes that are added later (4-4) 19 Bar on a flight (5,3) 21 Selected the Japanese name for Korea (6) 22 One way to stop the current issue (6) 26 Point to a shed that’s close (4) 27 Autumn trip over (4)

QUICK CLUES ACROSS

1 Robbery at gunpoint (4-2) 4 Way of dealing with (8) 9 Annoy (6) 10 Unquestioning (8) 12 Significant clue (4) 13 Subdued (5) 14 Enormous (4) 17 Logical basis for argument (3,2,5,2) 20 Business operating

profitably (5,7) 23 Summit (4) 24 Bird noted for fine

plumage (5) 25 Close (4) 28 Boss (8) 29 Exceptional creative power (6) 30 A liking (8) 31 Insubstantial (6)

DOWN

1 Capital of Hawaii (8) 2 Torpor (8) 3 Threatening (4) 5 German wholemeal rye

bread (12) 6 Official list (4) 7 Come as natural increase

(6) 8 Breeding ground (6) 11 Area round hole in golf

(7,5) 15 Giver (5) 16 Destined (5) 18 Frenzied excitement (8) 19 Covertly (2,3,3) 21 Maintenance (6) 22 Come about (6) 26 Small winged insect (4) 27 Fervour (4)