Crosswords

Who? .... Why? .... How? .... When? .... Where? ....

CRYPTIC

ACROSS

1 Father has regular payment for mother, perhaps (6)

4 A large bear backing fair game (4-2) 9 Cry sadly over body initially (3) 10 Self-restrained, but anger consumed afterwards? (9) 11 Spontaneous remark from mad libertine (2-3) 12 Urged popular edict to be changed (7) 14 All those employed for our cable distribution (6,5) 17 Liquid diffusion is so, so complicated around end of stem (7) 18 Reportedly stopped being overly serious (5) 20 Self-employed person gets fish in the country (9)

22 Greek letter hidden by secret agent (3) 23 Hold out against unruly sister (6) 24 Cuts of beef placed by the gambler, we hear? (6) DOWN

1 Regarding mail sent to pals, sorted (6) 2 Nonconformist embraces bishop in dance (5)

3 Took bones out with pads (9) 5 Award Robert held (inits)(3) 6 Fantastic pals given endless credit by credit card? (7) 7 Alter the last word (final letter in screed) (5) 8 Unusually prim one broadcast everywhere (11) 13 Clutch found in lookout platform? (5,4)

QUICK

15 Melissa struggling, lacking direction (7) 16 Ladies’ broken principles (6) 17 Cut-price proposal? (5)

19 Kipling’s lone wolf under a stormy lake (5) 21 The French man (3)

ACROSS

1 Smoked herring (7)

5 Resource (5)

8 Social blunder (5)

9 Bishop’s jurisdiction (7) 10 Part of the sky controlled by a country (8) 11 Back, rear (4) 13 Expressionless, fixed (eyes) (6) 15 Cupboard (6) 18 Ready for harvest (4) 19 Controller (8) 22 Good deal (7) 23 Become broader (5) 24 Synthetic fibre (5) 25 With much devotion (7)

DOWN

1 Theory of the universe (3,4) 2 Make a bid of (5) 3 Intrusion, encroachment (8) 4 Make less (6) 5 Small particle (4) 6 Animal type (7) 7 Heavy cloth (5) 12 Outdoor corridor (8) 14 Clothing (7) 16 Oppressive rule (7) 17 Indicate (6) 18 Bird with a red breast (5) 20 Concerning ebb and flow (5) 21 Egotistical (4)