CRYPTICCROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 European standard bearer (4) 3 See 9 Across 9, 23Ac & 3Ac Make a tour of the firm and attend to personal affairs (2,5,4,8) 10 Awkwardly bears a weapon (5) 11 What drummers about to retire do (4,1,7) 13 One may become an agricultural freeholder (6) 15 Is the French writer acutely conscious of this? (6) 17 & 19Dn Not given the benefit of a warm reception (4,3,2,3,4) 20 An exhortation to friends - they may appear in the ring (5) 21 Man who is engaged about the end of the session to provide the wherewithal (7) 22 Bandage covering the body (8) 23 See 9 Across

DOWN

1 They hold up the train on the way to the match (4-4) 2 Fasten up a trailing plant (5) 4 In a variety of tunes one dispenses with the strings (6) 5 Orders teaching before the start of school (12) 6 Welcome a mining engineer returning with a tool used for drilling (7) 7 Notices a palindrome (4) 8 Near the capital of Belgium, partisans to get mixed up with Napoleon’s men (12) 12 Increases some inclination (8) 14 Perform major work in the theatre? (7) 16 Bird showin’ shortness of breath (6) 18 Saw a musical group on the rise (5) 19 See 17 Across

Yesterday’s solutions:

Across: 6 Galleon. 7 Cover. 9 Pop up. 10 Frantic. 12 Reservation. 14 Balloonists. 18 Precise. 19 Mimic. 21 Under. 22 Bargain.

Down: 1 Bacon. 2 Clause. 3 Ton. 4 Bonnet. 5 Lexicon. 8 Travail. 11 Remorse. 13 Pairing. 15 Locker. 16 Things. 17 Rigid. 20 Car.