THE TAKE-A-BREAK CROSSWORD

CRYPTIC CLUES

ACROSS

1. They must be strong enough to take catches (7,4) 9. Giving attention to a court case? (7) 10. Animal returning everything to mother (5) 11. Don is brought into the football match (3,2) 12. Possibly detains as an alternative (7) 13. Antagonism making me tiny (6) 15. Plumlike fruit for a colt? (6) 18. A red set could be the most expensive (7) 20. Entangled fibre not lasting very long (5) 22. Discover the depth of the noise (5) 23. Manages to surpass the gamblers (7) 24. Decoration making a man angry (6,5)

DOWN

2. Sleep in it, but it’s not suitable (5) 3. Headgear item the rain will spoil (7) 4. Measure for an egg drink with spirit (6) 5. Parts a loser plays (5) 6. Artists found in chests? (7) 7. She tends to have pastoral responsibilities (11) 8. Invariable prefixes for back (4,3,4) 14. Give me a certain dimension (7) 16. A good judge of rarebit? (7) 17. In which you’ll find an animal bleats awfully (6) 19. Longer-established tree? (5) 21. Articles in The Times (5)