CRYPTIC PUZZLE

ACROSS: 8, Cap-ital 9, Pulling up 13, Aitch 14, Mo-O-se 15, Spatter 16, Acted on 17, Pla-I-n 18, Dig-it 20, Scrap 22, Rattle 23, Cur-ate 25, Stuck-up 27, Cha-sten 30, Starts 31, Shower 32, S-ides

35, Match 36, Verge 37, Hearten 39, Lea-R-ned 41, C-lean

42, T-will 43, Ann-ounce-s 44, Re-sum-ed.

DOWN: 1, Pas-t-it 2, Di-she-d up 3, Salmon trout 4, Super-able 5, Clo-sin-g 6, Ins and outs 7, Butt (but) 10, M-a-C-aws 11, Pop-pets 12, W-rithe 19, Go-ahead 21, (we) Re-tract 24, Short-handed

26, Catching on 28, Character 29, S-wee-ten 30, S-ample

32, St-Art-out 33, Single 34, Ev-I1d-ent 38, To-I-led 40, Anna.

EASY PUZZLE

ACROSS: 8, Prepare 9, Postponed 13, Miler 14, Naive 15, Wagtail

16, Uncouth 17, Rower 18, Apple 20, Hedge 22, Rubber 23, Detest 25, Slumber 27, Kindred 30, Saturn 31, Tripod 32, Litre 35, Radio

36, Rumba 37, Mistake 39, Impulse 41, Theme 42, Exact 43, Subsidise 44, Streaky.

DOWN1, Frolic 2, Aperture 3, French fries 4, Go-between 5, Steward 6, Forge ahead 7, Feta 10, Ambush 11, Microbe 12, Client 19, Present 21, Diluted 24, Wisdom teeth 26, More or less 28, Dramatist 29, Apparel 30, Sordid 32, Lessened 33, Events 34, Friends 38, Alaska 40, Plug.

CROSSWORD 4837

Across: 1 Liberal Democrat, 9 Amorous, 10 Hosanna, 11 Site, 12 Rolls-Royce, 13 Dormant,

15 Slammer, 17 Mahatma, 19 Astarte, 20 Seamstress, 22 Berg, 25 Bravado, 26 Noisome, 27 Electric current Down: 1 Leads, 2 Blowtorch, 3 Rook, 4 Last out, 5 Exhales, 6 Observant, 7 Rangy, 8 To a degree, 13 Demisable, 14 Attestant, 16 Morse code, 18 A priori, 19 Arsenic, 21 Awake, 23 Guest,

24 Tier