DOUBLE CROSSWORD

CRYPTIC CLUES Across

1 Lower the value of French headquarters (6) 4 Half the chairs repeatedly removed during dance (3‑3) 9 Noisily jeer a drink (5) 10 Stylish in a gentle fashion (7) 11 Too much small fruit strewn about the East (7) 12 Love poetry, almost, for deliveries (5) 13 And lines get twisted, so unravel (11) 18 Sleeveless jacket may be legit (5) 20 Person who lies about the room, right? (7) 22 Rushed back with speed to tell tales (7) 23 Modelled wearing silk (5) 24 No alternative but to place king in cave (6) 25 Then drunk in charge of a race (6)

Down

1 Death dies with me, tragically (6) 2 Evil one round vehicle with drink (7) 3 Dull blue pan (5) 5 New hood designed for the dance (7) 6 Packing case turns up in Cabinet archives (5) 7 Serve as evidence, watching cricket? (6) 8 One on the wagon, where driver’s found to get higher (11) 14 Competitor in event ran third (7) 15 Relieve thin leg when fractured (7) 16 For example, award up for drink (3‑3) 17 Mildly sarcastic press in charge (6) 19 Notedly slow in regular government (5) 21 Winning tennis match, though unhappy (5)

QUICK CLUES

Across

1 Start a round of golf (3,3) 4 Area round the North Pole (6) 9 Venomous snake (5) 10 Study of past events (7) 11 Street plan (4,3) 12 Vacant, without tenants (5) 13 Subordinate quality (11) 18 Saying, motto (5) 20 Apprentice (7) 22 Cheap purchase (7) 23 Wild, untamed (5) 24 Understated (3‑3) 25 Dramatic high point (6)

Down

1 Inn (6) 2 3 Account Roman marketplace for (7) (5) 5 Liberator (7) 6 Scandinavian goblin (5) 7 North American wild dog (6) 8 Stealing from retailers (11) 14 Lift (7) 15 Outburst (7) 16 Prance like a lamb (6) 17 Immediate involuntary response (6) 19 Pointer on a sign (5) 21 Dreadful (5)