CRYPTIC CLUES

ACROSS: 8 Top and tail for cooking - that’s fine (7)

9 Rebuking for putting the brakes on (7,2) 13 It starts here (5)

14 The animal, with some difficulty, skirts the void (5)

15 Will make a splash, he contends (7) 16 Followed the advice given and didn’t quit the stage (5,2)

17 Glaring when I take out the blueprint (5) 18 Figure you’ll enjoy the article (5)

20 Fight waste (5)

22 Upset, shake (6)

23 The father dog didn’t go hungry (6) 25 Conceited, like the girl in the advertising poster (5-2)

27 Humble, gives the tea bags back to (7) 30 Establishes one is clearly surprised (6) 31 It indicates unsettled weather (6)

32 Goes along with on the second date (5) 35 Equal in the game (5)

36 Incline towards being a little overgenerous (5)

37 Encourage the near desperate (7) 39 Found one gravitated towards the right, on getting in (7)

41 Note you rely on completely (5)

42 Leave on time, from the draper’s (5) 43 Says the girl’s smuggled in a cat (9) 44 Went on to add a grass border (7)

DOWN: 1 Dope making a comeback: a singer who’s over the top (4,2)

2 Meted out while she decorated the exterior (6,2)

3 One or two items on the fishmonger’s slab (6,5)

4 Ultra efficient, but could be bettered (9) 5 With “Stop harbouring evil”, winding up (7)

6 The finer points of rowing? (3,3,4)

7 Said only he’s a laughing-stock (4)

10 A number swam back to protect the birds (6)

11 Take the father back-stage to the little dears (7)

12 Over their going out West, seem very pained (6)

19 Carry on being ambitious (2-5)

21 Were we to leave the land, would take it back (7)

24 In brief, given to being low on staff (5-6) 26 Understanding it’s taking the public’s fancy (8,2)

28 Role one’s playing in “The Card” (9) 29 Carrying a little gun does improve one’s disposition (7)

30 Though small, plenty just to try it out (6) 32 Get going when the fat man enters (5,3) 33 One way, miss (6)

34 Clear from the race I had taken part in (7)

38 Worked until I had got ahead (6)

40 She doesn’t have a shekel! (4)