TWO-WAY TEASER

TWO sets of clues but the answers are the same...

CRYPTIC CLUES

ACROSS

1 Average man’s excuse (6) 4 Invent cosmetics (4-2) 7 Badgers and horses (4) 8 Force Colin and Eve to

change (8)

9 Newspaper – old and a bit

tattered (7)

12 Vessel from far kingdom (3) 14 National leader felt ill when

caught (6)

15 Start of concert in Sofia,

perhaps, is a failure (6) 16 Fix equipment (3)

18 Funny card – it’s

extreme (7)

22 A man in a raincoat

– one supplying pasta (8) 23 A convict returning for

a festive occasion (4) 24 Well-built ringleader in

den (6)

25 A trek’s arranged for

band (6)

DOWN

1 Senior citizen writes one

on the queen (9) 2 Conservative player’s

position (5-4)

3 Nautical verse included

by Alan, perhaps (5)

4 I wander up with an aboriginal New Zealander (5) 5 Recognised novel, say (4) 6 Paul certain to conceal

a sore (5)

10 Food bore is heard (5) 11 A tendency to wander

aimlessly (5)

12 Mix socially with business

partner (9)

13 Refuse to drink

quickly (5,4)

17 To doze in it is

inappropriate (5) 19 Large man receiving

the Order of Merit (5) 20 Western is shown on board ship from a European country (5) 21 Light food, say (4)

QUICK CLUES

ACROSS

1 Forgive (6) 4 Cosmetics (4-2) 7 Scolds constantly (4) 8 Excessive force (8) 9 Newspaper (7)

12 Noah’s vessel (3) 14 Fastened (6) 15 Complete failure (6) 16 Equipment (3) 18 Severe (7)

22 Pasta tubes (8) 23 Festive occasion (4)

24 Robust (6) 25 Irregular stripe (6)

DOWN

1 Senior citizen (9) 2 Conservative (5-4) 3 Nautical (5)

4 Aboriginal New

Zealander (5)

5 Was familiar with (4) 6 Open sore (5)

10 Baked food (5)

11 Gist (5)

12 Companion (9)

13 Rebuff (5,4)

17 Unsuitable (5)

19 Spacious (5)

20 From a western European

country (5)

21 Just (4)