{ THE CROSSWORDS }
CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS
1 Where alcohol is made inactive (5)
4 A fishing boat that will sail with the tide? (7) 8 Runner in a vigorous kind of winter sport (3) 9 Definitely not many bones broken (2,2,5) 10 Provide a group with weapons for an encirclement? (7)
11 Make a financial return (5)
13 Tugmen out for a little spice (6)
15 He has an important job, on paper (6) 18 Supports a play or players (5)
19 It’s disturbing having the wrong spirit in work (7)
21 Communist and German worker no longer needed (9)
23 King emerging from bitter exile (3)
24 Figures in the Old Testament (7)
25 I hurried round and had a look (5)
DOWN
1 Keep us up to the mark (7)
2 Crazy about Mum, in a manner of speaking (9)
3 The scales need some calibration (5)
4 Strip of Dundee origin (6)
5 Shut up! (7)
6 Refreshment in the late afternoon (3)
7 One cannot be sure if such a situation exists (5)
12 Pour or tip out a delightful mixture (3-6) 14 Extract the driving spirit of France (7) 16 Slackened and became loose in a rush (7) 17 Wanders away from the street lights (6) 18 There’s nothing in the cattle shed, my lord (5) 20 Speeds regulated by local authorities (5) 22 It holds water, relatively speaking (3)
QUICK CLUES ACROSS
1 Take exception (5) 4 Reduction (7)
8 For each side (3)
9 Capital of Romania (9)
10 Give free rein to (7)
11 Oneness (5)
13 Without charge (6)
15 Cut down (6)
18 Barometer (5)
19 Prevalent in a region (7)
21 Tall and strong (9)
23 Woman in religious order (3) 24 Excessive (7)
25 Now (5)
DOWN
1 Pen or pencil illustration (7) 2 Highly emotional play (9) 3 Insurgent (5)
4 Prestige (6)
5 To malign (7)
6 Generation (3)
7 Pool of stakes (5) 12 Inauspicious (3-6)
14 Lacking flavour (7) 16 Propriety (7)
17 Cherry red (6)
18 Exuberant enjoyment (5) 20 Numeral (5)
22 Feel remorse (3)