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)