CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS 7. Crossings made by colts in a clean break (13) 8. Bits of the staff of life − blimey! (11) 12. Little Violet takes a chair when she calls (6) 14. Tightly packed in to one side in the War Department (6) 16. Take all off at start of engagement and get the lash (6) 18. Bound about quietly instead of loudly in Europe (6) 19. Tired and confused, and somewhat mad − won’t do any good! (11) 23. Men cast around in Piccadilly, say, show how they’re placed (13)

DOWN 1. Fashion of dress one will boast of giving up (4) 2. Highest point came about (4) 3. Pieces of grass and such as cut them (6) 4. Vegetable found in bones (6) 5. Light coating of dust to take pictures of (4) 6. Are not to suppress leaders, being industrialists (4) 9. Book it to bring it to table again? (7) 10. Being a variety with nothing going for it, the plant (7) 11. Something cutting he had zealously uncovered (4) 12. Huge container with sulphur in it (4) 13. A gratuity got for giving up mine (3) 15. Lug given to one in the audience (3) 17. Puzzle meaning out once the North has gone (6) 18. There’s more than enough for ten-ply working (6) 19. Pickpocket gets right inside, the wet fellow! (4) 20. Sail against the wind, which has some point to it (4) 21. Aftertaste of coarse seaweed (4) 22. Was untruthful as to a song of Schubert’s (4)

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION: Across 1. Proposition 7. Rockets 9. Live 11. Short 12. Forger 14. Cleanliness 18. Puddle 20. Allow 22. Root 23. Release 24. Territorial Down 2. Rock oil 3. Sash 4. Owing 5. Brash 6. Beard 8. Entrails 10. Cornwall 13. Old 15. Sultana 16. Spark 17. Sweet 19. Drove 21. Grit