CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

▶ Across 1. Emphasises the way one speaks at tea with us (11)

7. Pushes and hurts perhaps on a back-street (7) 9. What to burn to break up the flue (4)

11. Be at the wheel and upset Verdi (5)

12. In a witty saying, people tick (6)

14. Tired of adjusting to the mad, being damaging (11)

18. Get half-winded perhaps by a stab of pain (6) 20. Throw one out of the EC, jet being used for it (5)

22. Come across with me and the French version (4)

23. A lot mob might get from lottery in a drum (7)

24. Save awkwardness among blooms by using these to hold them (6,5) ▶ Down 2. Gun used to get brace in the confusion (7) 3. Leading testimony set out in a trial (4) 4. Former partner, due to change, must sweat it out (5)

5. Read of a breeding animal at start of the year (5)

6. Schemes made by the airmen one abandoned (5)

8. Sort of passage the set agree to (8)

10. Ray of light the MO might bemoan (8) 13. Mischievous child starts imitating mother's parents (3)

15. One gets first name wrong, it being a flower (7) 16. Die for it to be affixed to envelope (5) 17. Portion of meat sounds pale (5)

19. One piece of business that couldn't be better (5) 21. Deserters return to Polaris, say (4) ▶ Yesterday's solution Across 1. Saddens 5. Panic 8. Rustler 9. Rally 10. Tolerable 12. Yet 13. Sweet 17. Off 19. Raindrops 21. Logic 22. Athlete 24. Notes 25. Treason Down 1. Sprite 2. Display 3. Ell 4. Scrub 5. Perfected 6. Nelly 7. Coyote 11. Restricts 14. Proteus 15. Pollen 16. Astern 18. Fight 20. Inapt 23. Hoe