{ THE CROSSWORDS }

CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS

1 Change time of working (5)

4 Colourful addition in the theatre may produce a tingle (7)

8 Piece of harness (3)

9 A sign that some of us are mending our ways (9)

10 Company wildly flinging money about is not exercising it (7)

11 It is well used by desert travellers (5)

13 They’re up for approval (6)

15 A poem’s positive points (6)

18 Not smiling back (5)

19 This is necessary for hearing about a murder (7)

21 He gets the shrubbery into shape (9)

23 Trouble in the year that never was! (3)

24 Cover charge? (7)

25 Breaks supports (5)

DOWN

1 Topic dependent on another (7)

2 Begin to make an acquaintance (9)

3 Trunk roots disturbed (5)

4 She’s a lady at heart (6)

5 Common knowledge (7)

6 It’s black art in a different form (3)

7 They may be held in revulsion (5)

12 The ways in which an adder is so wriggly (4,5) 14 Dark-looking Belgian perhaps (7)

16 Problem with World War One battle citation (7)

17 Mid-channel? (6)

18 Arrangement not laid down? (5)

20 Chopper blade (5)

22 Writer of some prose and some poetry (3)

QUICK CLUES ACROSS

1 Lowering of standard (5) 4 English satirical painter (7) 8 Possess (3)

9 Variety of grape (9) 10 Malicious rumour (7) 11 Capricious inclination (5) 13 Highly skilled (6)

15 Calm (6)

18 Printing machine (5)

19 Seek votes (7)

21 Chinese gooseberry (4,5) 23 Promissory note (3) 24 Determine (7)

25 Distinctive smell (5)

DOWN

1 Brief inspection (4-3) 2 A tropical fruit (9) 3 Relieved (5)

4 Frequent (6)

5 Profitable (7)

6 Unbroken succession (3) 7 Convenient for use (5) 12 Variety of peach (9) 14 Relaxing (7)

16 Throw into turmoil (7) 17 Impute guilt to (6) 18 A card game (5)

20 Paper money (5)

22 Used to be (3)