Daily crossword

CRYPTIC CLUES Across

7 Possibly beat a retreat (5)

8 Beats soundly in a game that's child's play (7)

9 If a rule is broken it is nothing to be proud of (7)

10 The true figure is in this region (5)

12 Knocked flat - by a hard bargainer! (6,4) 15 Overbearing attitude of one surrendering? (4-6) 18 Put off Ted's return with hesitation (5)

19 Gradually destroy a stick in the middle (7) 21 Mother hides a blemish with make-up (7) 22 Somewhere to graze all the horses in a race (5)

Down

1 Strained, like Indian tea is? (3-7)

2 Girl that is unhappy being on top (5)

3 It shows what one may get from a prime number (4)

4 Stress it's a regional dialect (6)

5 Coming into play (8) 6 American politician who could resort to treason (7)

11 Solicitor, perhaps, whose actions speak louder than words (3,2,5)

13 Herein a peculiar tale, out of this world (8) 14 He keeps saying I get it so mixed up! (7) 16 Heavenly stuff for a trance, perhaps (6) 17 Conceal or report a story (5)

20 Old-fashioned frill for a hooligan, we hear (4)

QUICK CLUES Across

7 Passenger ship

(5)

8 Droll (7)

9 Open air (7)

10 Coarse (5)

12 Gambler (10)

15 Inverted (6,4)

18 Lees (5)

19 Conspicuous (7)

21 Confidential (7)

22 Cut small (5)

Down

1 Tracking dog (10)

2 Join (5)

3 Threesome (4)

4 Cloth (6)

5 One-storey

house (8)

6 Repartee (7)

11 Make firmer (10)

13 Statue base (8)

14 Austere (7)

16 Disperse (6)

17 Intended (5)

20 Light (4)