CRYPTIC CLUES

ACROSS 1 Cynical over a transfer of second sight (12) 8 Mean and easily beheaded! (5) 9 Tilted insect in snow vehicle (7) 10 Reportedly exposed support (4) 11 A mayday call about the finest mineral (8) 14 Once more arrange to see Blackpool, for instance (6) 15 It’s said I am inclined towards her (6) 17 Pit worker embracing sick craftsman (8) 18 Choose a tool (4) 21 Lassie, perhaps, Orion’s companion? (3,4) 23 Scotsman plunging into Italian river with instrument (5) 24 Be as unctuous as you wish under the skin (12) DOWN 1 Go up cold leg, possibly (5) 2 Paris – ruined in a friend’s estimation (9) 3 Beams to lift, you say? (4) 4 Haunt jittery boss around the south-east (6) 5 Of no practical significance to a don (8) 6 Minor wound removed (3) 7 Weird lad, more than likely! (4-2) 12 Kid at home composing operetta (3,6) 13 Oddly, a strict one held to be creative (8) 14 Cure my deer, diseased (6) 16 Search around for polecat (6) 19 Recognises facial feature, we hear (5) 20 Frank has nothing to write (4) 22 Animal found in alarming numbers (3)

QUICK CLUES

ACROSS 1 Spirited debate (3,3,6) 8 Stage trickery (5) 9 Rotten, putrid (7) 10 Specify (4) 11 Utter suddenly (5,3) 14 Ship abroad (6) 15 Female bovine (6) 17 Arouse the curiosity of (8) 18 Extend across (4) 21 Come back to (7) 23 Carry, fetch (5) 24 Light boxer (12) DOWN 1 Funny person (5) 2 Difficult situation (5,4) 3 Arrest (4) 4 In an orderly way (6) 5 Wooden flute (8) 6 Sneaky (3) 7 Chief journalist (6) 12 Child (9) 13 Hornby toy (5,3) 14 Political refugee (6) 16 Traditional practice (6) 19 Time of darkness (5) 20 Skilful (4) 22 Going through (3)