Two-speed coffeebreak

Two sets of clues – but the answers are the same.

Cryptic clues ACROSS

3 Side not acceptable and not included (4,3) 7 Contracted and sealed off (6) 8 Treated smile as random (7) 9 Quiet worker to sound tired (4) 11 Drifting around division (4) 12 Pinched a shawl (5) 15 Entrusted with oxidation (4) 16 Raid failed without water (4) 17 Creature less cold in the East End (5) 18 Unexciting apartment (4) 19 Encounter report of beef, say (4)

21 Live wearing costume (7) 22 Got closer to listener in wrong end (6) 23 Interrogated cook and journalist (7)

DOWN

1 Tire of emblem (4) 2 Rash tip about musician (7) 3 The French worker slanted (5) 4 Change during meditation (4)

5 Relate story that’s revealing (8) 6 Tried the first dates out (6) 10 Most importantly, where the last one comes (5,3) 11 Truth about groove (3) 13 Alternatively, a politician’s public speaking (7) 14 Illuminated large object (3) 15 Ignore endless bungling around woman arguing (6) 18 Reportedly doomed to be honoured (5) 19 Quarry of eminence (4) 20 Tramp’s companion? (4)

Solutions in tomorrow’s Daily Mirror

Quick clues

ACROSS

3 Omitted (4,3) 7 Hired (6) 8 Haphazard (7) 9 Breathe heavily (4) 11 Split (4)

12 Took unlawfully (5) 15 Corrosion (4) 16 Dry (4) 17 Freshwater mammal (5) 18 No longer fizzy (4) 19 Converge (4) 21 Dwell (7) 22 Approached (6) 23 Cooked under heat (7)

DOWN

1 Banner (4) 2 String player (7) 3 Inclined (5) 4 Revise (4) 5 Snitch (8) 6 Sampled (6) 10 Ultimately (5,3) 11 Furrow (3) 13 Small chapel (7) 14 Ignited (3) 15 Water sport (6) 18 Celebrated (5) 19 Pit (4) 20 Titled woman (4)

Solutions in tomorrow’s Daily Mirror