CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1. Hell inclines to be for swells (8)

4. Be upset with a couple of ducks being instrumental (4)

8. Tree starts expanding, late May (3)

9. Get hold of a round for voices (5)

10. Copy the contents of the paper (3)

11. Noise of cart, let run around (7)

12. Meg might take old boy out and get stuck in the mud (5)

13. Hardly any, but valuable to just two or three (8,3)

17. Fragrance, or a mixture Mother finishes off (5)

18. The amount of film a foe got out of it (7)

20. It is a newt that is abandoned, headless (3)

21. Long rope used to train horses to fencer’s attack (5)

22. Be in a position to make a false statement (3)

23. Sort of worm to make a recording of (4)

24. Incidentally, here is where one may find a milestone

(2,3,3)

DOWN

1. Soak one with a dose of physic down the throat (6)

2. Weller takes a degree for dance (5)

3. It will put one off, having more than half the washingpowder (5)

5. Blame British Rail may have taken for the blackberry bush (7)

6. Vigorous activity turning green before end of January

(6)

7. A trio to knock up the runs — 60 (10)

9. Game with string showing Puss in its earliest place

(4-6)

14. Proof to be got from highest point in the house (7)

15. Aren’t quietly begun by a father or mother (6)

16. Sticks that may be forced in growing (6)

18. Have a liking for being so free of love entanglements

(5)

19. Permit nothing to be put in a broken wall (5) YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION

Across: 1. Showpiece 5. Row 7. Need 8. Educated

10. Abnormal 11. Wear 13. Strike 15. Switch 18. Cove

19. Silencer 22. Pintable 23. Dido 24. Rue 25. September Down: 1. Sandals 2. Ocean 3. Endear 4. Each 5. Retreat

6. Wader 9. Drake 12. Sweet 14. Revenge 16. Harbour

17. Fillip 18. Caper 20. Climb 21. Lass