DOUBLE CROSSWORD

CRYPTIC CLUES Across

4. Pledge to raise expectations (7) 8. Refusal to admit endless crooked dealing (6) 9. An afterthought about better instrumentalists (7) 10. In the main, it provides the best way to stop (6) 11. Leafy road for a meeting place (6) 12. Quick movers sound like frauds (8) 18. The girl created a row (8) 20. In Spanish port fine artist produced ‘The Spitfire’ (6) 21. Left a learner at the doorway (6) 22. Descriptive of the sky in a twinkling? (7) 23. Gets an unusual arrangement of factors (6) 24. Hurried on when strongly urged (7)

Down

1. Don’t withdraw a loan (7) 2. A decent reform established by law (7) 3. This means of escape is decidedly eccentric (3,3) 5. No longer bound to be hired out again (8) 6. Wanton destruction can possibly be found on the border (6) 7. Vegetable shoot (6) 13. I mean Tom has become an old fossil! (8) 14. Christopher’s taking in a number of small pets (7) 15. He has no fancy ideas about a catalogue (7) 16. Mechanic having benefited from better training (6) 17. Servicemen who could be spared (6) 19. Nothing more needed to make one turn up with a cry of disgust (6)

QUICK CLUES Across

4. Treachery (7) 8. Arrive (4,2) 9. Make (7) 10. Attorney (6) 11. Bright (6) 12. Slanderer (8) 18. Potent (8) 20. Pious (6) 21. Leave (6) 22. Nonpareil (7) 23. Purloined (6) 24. Operation (7)

Down

1. Usefulness (7) 2. Jemmy (7) 3. Desk (6) 5. Propeller (8) 6. Abrupt (6) 7. Voucher (6) 13. Hypercritical (8) 14. Courteous (7) 15. Glaring (7) 16. Mend (6) 17. Tessellation (6) 19. Happenings (6)