DOUBLE CROSSWORD

CRYPTIC CLUES Across

1 Breeze to subside for

parachute delivery (7)

5 Lover with capital? Nothing (5)

8 I am past the mature stage (5)

9 Property dealer has back

lot thrown in (7)

10 Wager with a Greek

character (4)

11 Decorators without hesitation

supplying first-aid items (8)

13 Be right on another one –

birds swallow fruits (11)

17 Pet crow’s strange sort of

bottle (5,3)

19 Eager to start excursions

into knowledge (4)

21 Food supplier prepared

terrace (7)

22 High hat joint (5)

23 Deer, scattered around river, went astray (5)

24 Remain uneasy having tango on tower (7)

Down

1 Arms displayed in hostile way? (6)

2 Respond to alternative nuclear apparatus (7)

3 Space where open

land rises (4)

4 Roll a large map,

distorting shape (13)

5 Ruses are designed to give confidence (8)

6 Measure a partial rise in water temperature (5)

7 Some progressive

monster (6)

12 Came back and set about broken sewer (8)

14 Choose gold

constituent (7)

15 Audibly groan with

essential soul (6)

16 Consume with

humour, we hear (6)

18 Moving arm up

and down (5)

20 Even form main

country (4)

QUICK CLUES Across

1 Commissioned

soldier (7)

5 Young women (5)

8 Administrative

assistant (5)

9 Gulp down (7)

10 Upmarket (4)

11 Witch’s pot (8)

13 Relative by

marriage (6-2-3)

17 Powerless (8)

19 Continuous dull

pain (4)

21 Vehicles public roads using (7)

22 Town in central France on the Loire (5)

23 Watery, not set (5)

24 Kings, queens

etc (7)

Down

1 Inhabit (6)

2 Sweetly scented

flower (7)

3 Baked birthday

treat (4)

4 Train’s dining

area (10,3)

5 Football pitch

boundary (4,4)

6 Stick for

measuring (5)

7 Scattering

(seeds) (6)

12 Sap-sucking

insect pest (8)

14 Gradual financial

build-up (7)

15 Waffle (6)

16 Forceful,

determined (6)

18 Shrimp-like crustacean (5)

20 Reside temporarily (4)