Two-speed coffeebreak

Two sets of clues – but the answers are the same

CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS

3 Plaster used as office equipment (7)

7 Excellent selection (6) 8 Sportsman depicted as Roman (7)

9 Petrol store for vehicle (4) 11 Bore about dress (4)

12 Rota devised by a vital supplier (5)

15 Both arduous and difficult inside (4)

16 Revealing about steak (4) 17 Dispenser to cop it, sadly (5) 18 Wager has a pulse (4) 19 Eccentric message (4)

21 Widow has bet after party (7) 22 Note proprietor takes depressant (6)

23 Improve dessert with directions (7)

DOWN

1 Bachelor’s pain (4)

2 Prisoner wrong to bend (7) 3 Small ice cream or cake (5) 4 Take out some timber (4) 5 Disregard holiday (8)

6 Learnt about regular payment (6)

10 Resign in royal fashion? (8) 11 Knock a style of music (3) 13 Scanning a Berkshire town (7) 14 Rubbish in statistics (3)

15 Large groups horsed around (6)

18 Aristocrat in pub — nothing new (5)

19 Yield a plant ovule, say (4) 20 Fellow member in smallholding (4) Solutions in tomorrow’s Irish Daily Mirror

QUICK CLUES ACROSS

3 Stationery item (7)

7 Option (6)

8 Rower (7)

9 Army weapon (4) 11 Gown (4)

12 Main artery (5) 15 Solid (4)

16 Type of meat (4) 17 Drinks measuring device (5)

18 Defeat (4)

19 Stiff paper (4) 21 Titled widow (7) 22 Dispiriting experience (6) 23 Add sugar (7)

DOWN

1 Yearn (4)

2 Twist (7)

3 Teatime treat (5)

4 Type of wood (4) 5 Jewish festival (8)

6 Hire charge (6) 10 Give up the throne (8)

11 Sharp blow (3) 13 Perusing (7) 14 Shabby articles (3) 15 Crowds (6) 18 Nobleman (5) 19 Surrender (4) 20 Ranch (4) Solutions in tomorrow’s Irish Daily Mirror