CRYPTIC CROSSWORD
ACROSS
8 The thing you shouldn’t have as furniture in a room? (7) 9 Skulduggery in the obscene book? (5,4) 13 A rather cold “Poor substitute for a canape” (5) 14 Work as a dentist or doctor with the sick (5) 15 Break an egg again then bring it back to its original condition? (7) 16 Firm as aunts may be with a child (7) 17 Go off and abandon (5) 18 Feeling emotional as one left one’s old home (5) 20 One guide of a good many (5) 22 C for communication? (6) 23 Not allowed to quote Shakespeare (6) 25 Not entirely biased (7) 27 Remark on how Gallic it is (7) 30 Lingers on a topic in which one has an abiding interest? (6) 31 You have to dig back a long time to find this name .... (6) 32 .... and a great distance to find this one (5) 35 Try to get volunteers at the outset (5) 36 Is forced to leave the tea unfinished and to hurry (5) 37 Leave the runway or shed (4,3) 39 Does all one can to get rid of undesirable elements (7) 41 So the fellow outside is a builder (5) 42 Picture of a hair accessory (5) 43 Hits the highest score (3,6) 44 Guaranteed a certain tip would be sent round (7)
DOWN
1 The lie has rebounded on her (6) 2 Hurry up and use the footlever (4,2,2) 3 Stay in front and keep your dog with you (4,3,4) 4 Cover of the trees taken by Adam and Eve (3,6) 5 Jumper that says “Track official” (7) 6 Persuade me to twirl the revolver I’m holding? (5,2,3) 7 So stand up again and leave (4) 10 Becomes touchy when one pours the cat a drink (4,2) 11 I ’ll get accommodation in the best possible quarters (7) 12 Finished on time as it was inclined to do (6) 19 A novel, badly written, about a royal that sends one to sleep (7) 21 The articles in front of you? (7) 24 One of the two living in the disreputable establishment? (5,6) 26 How one used the microphone and coaxed listeners to do something? (6,4) 28 To start with, chum, he’s an officer (5,4) 29 Again, rhyme with “defeat” (7) 30 Don’t like to see the editor standing trial (6) 32 Pretends, when one writes the cheque (5,3) 33 Sure, though wrong, the fellows in it experience pain (6) 34 The companion having a gun does restrain one (7) 38 “He’s over fifty”, I put in (6) 40 Digs the peaty soil up (4)