CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

Across

2. Make a lofting stroke at geese flying in formation (5)

5. South Africa and the Middle East are identical (4)

7. Is mad to come back and put the knife in (4)

8. They aren't paid to use a tram for them (8)

9. Meeting the federal legislature (8) 11. Wan beyond which it's unacceptable to be (4)

12. Am bad as sailor of His Excellency's (13)

15. Degas didn't finish when upset and elderly (4)

17. Does away with dye and sorts it out (8) 19. The coast road, once rich in its sinuosity (8)

21. Reserve the libretto (4) 22. Organist won't cease to pull it out, though (4)

23. Crazed party abstainer attends at end of May (5)

Down

1. Destructive caterpillar or two in a dog starting to moult (7)

2. You and I start building a silken trap (3) 3. A Viking ship of war for an Elizabethan admiral (5)

4. Pleased to have broken up as time went by (7)

5. The woman who will lose weight endlessly (3)

6. It is ethically right for me to lose half on the viva voce (5)

10. The piano rang out with opening of ‘Dutchman’ (5)

11. It is more refined to have back-up and err about it (5)

13. Led astray by the South, deduce the outcome (7)

14. Whatever person gets by on day of turmoil (7)

16. Nanny is about right in old money (5) 18. Dessert set we put out (5)

20. Go so fast, one may feel the pinch (3) 21. Sound like a hound in the window recess (3)

Yesterday's solution

Across 1. Standing-room 8. Nocturne 9. Mind 11. Aisle 12. Sceptic 13. Camp 15. Eden 19. Lullaby 20. Rhomb

22. Bust 23. Backfall 24. Express train

Down 2. Ticks 3. Neuter 4. Ionise 5. Omitted 6. Medicine-ball 7. Incalculable 10. Few 14. Milksop 16. Bar 17. Bypass 18. Broker 21. Okapi