CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1. Get to grips with life: give me motors, etc, to shift (4,2,5)

7. Determine to start the puzzle afresh (7)

9. A girl who was of some value to an Indian (4)

11. Its rule has been found to be handy (5)

12. Breaks in a sentence for butterflies (6)

14. Clandestine star sign for ministers’ assistants (11)

18. Make over one’s authority, being teed up like this (6)

20. Bring forth the go-ahead in the day before a festival (5)

22. Be up to decapitating a girl at her marriage (4)

23. Between flights it shows how aircraft is coming down (7)

24. Crayon, vital maybe for one who can see the future (11)

DOWN

2. It isn’t clear, so Bruce has to sort it out (7)

3. It is generous of one to be so handed (4)

4. Drop the pharmacist a note (5)

5. It will sound discordant where fire is laid (5)

6. Light wood, a block of which turns up (5)

8. Could be a tiler that will set one free (8)

10. A number of neuter potential (8)

13. A pen to hone in all truth (3)

15. The wearing down of ire soon turns to it (7)

16. Love a party that starts rather early (5)

17. Attached strip is part marbled, generally (5)

19. How to work bike and hope dalliance will show it (5)

21. Might be a Russian drudge, almost (4)