The crossword

PUZZLE 15125

CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS

1 Checker of drawing (7) 5 Stony-faced man? (5) 8 Collected stories of French romance perhaps (9) 9 She means to seek legal redress (3) 10 A school which sets the tone (4) 12 Admitting the whole sum is due (8) 14 A binding affair maybe (6) 15 It can’t be made whole (6) 17 Local draughtsmen (8) 18 Sea bass (4) 21 Rumanian money that is left around (3) 22 Suitable weapon for a sharpshooter? (6-3) 24 It makes things less sharp (5) 25 Hold forth on former British currency (7)

Down

1 Avoid yielding a trick (5) 2 It goes round in a circle (3) 3 Spirited match (4) 4 Sea creature puts number in utter confusion (6) 5 A mild expletive to cause amazement (8) 6 Get a sit-in arranged and use provocation (9) 7 Charge about in battle (7) 11 Children love very loud running water (9) 13 Radio user gets a new set in a ship (8) 14 Noisy instruments possibly startle (7) 16 Are such blocks used for building wind breaks? (6) 19 Very good end perhaps that is longed for (5) 20 Thunderous applause? (4) 23 Animal found in decreasing numbers (3)

QUICK CLUES ACROSS

1 Ancient writing material (7) 5 Encourage (5) 8 Fine painting, for example (4,2,3) 9 Grow old (3) 10 Wander (4) 12 Seeming (8) 14 Conscription (4-2) 15 Lay waste (6) 17 Occult (8) 18 Eliminating round (4) 21 An Australian bird (3) 22 Having private information (2,3,4) 24 Suffering from vertigo (5) 25 Bung (7)

DOWN

1 Mechanical energy (5) 2 State of equality (3) 3 Outbreak of lawlessness (4) 4 Irritable (6) 5 Act of treachery (8) 6 Typically (2,7) 7 Major area of military activity (7) 11 Spanish portrait painter (9) 13 Avarice (8) 14 To praise (7) 16 A succulent plant (6) 19 Rise high above (5) 20 Very brave man (4) 23 To pinch (3)