CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1. Compound as the choice of many questions (8)

4. Give me back my award (4)

8. If it’s out of its shell, take a spanner to it (3)

9. This could be a charger of heroin (5)

10. How to pinch a drink of spirits (3)

11. Have the shakes, like boy singer holding first missal

(7)

12. It is the fashion to develop a series of cracks (5)

13. A metaphysician quietly upsetting Polish hero (11)

17. Fine a thousand for joining wrong cult (5)

18. It is hard to get rid of a gummed label (7)

20. Is not conscious of being dismissed (3)

21. Get prepared to aim the gun (5)

22. Is there a point to the marriage portion? (3)

23. One in her confusion will take somebody on (4)

24. A setback reveals disorder that surrounds the right (8)

DOWN

1. Very small division of a degree (6)

2. Be supple and slither inside (5)

3. At which one may be free to be generous (5)

5. Composite picture of game not to be made up (7)

6. Sounded a little canine (6)

7. Discernment show by prince and poet maybe (10)

9. To qualify a bit, he turned tail (10)

14. It packs a pistol and gives her lots of change (7)

15. So moth may appear to land without bumps (6)

16. It is beastly to be so cruel (6)

18. Room to be explored by astronauts (5)

19. Prestige is nothing when it’s perhaps dusk outside (5) YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION

Across: 1. Fabricate 5. Tow 7. Oath 8. Blacking 10. Minatory

11. Skin 13. Novice 15. Absent 18. Lace 19. Continue

22. Brisling 23. Fret 24. Lay 25. Fortunate

Down: 1. Footman 2. Baton 3. Allure 4. Each 5. Trickle

6. Wagon 9. Stack 12. Abate 14. Vacuity 16. Theatre

17. Corner 18. Label 20. Norma 21. Clef