CROSSWORD PUZZLE

ACROSS 9 Fanciful and unrealistic (4-5) 10 Lovable (8) 12 Elderly (4) 13 Seedy (6) 14 Type of lottery (7) 15 Exactly the same (9) 17 Flooded (9) 18 Ceaseless (7) 20 Pleasure craft (6) 21 Cab (4) 24 Of the brain (8) 26 German shepherd dog (8) 28 29 31 34 (9) 36 38 39 40 41 42 Second hand (4) Colour (3,3) Nunnery (7) Law enforcement officer

Retribution (9) Plentiful (7) Accompany (6) Sicilian volcano (4) Brow (8) Meddle (9) DOWN 1 Holiday (8) 2 European country (6) 3 Bedtime drink (8) 4 Percussion instrument (6) 5 (8) 6 7 8 11 16 19 20 22 23 25 26 27 30 31 32 33 35 36 37 Brightly-coloured beetle

Castle grating (10) Synthetic (3-4) Nearly (6) Tearfully sentimental (7) Giggle (6) Female relative (5) Friend (3) Cognisant (5) Posture (6) Circus MC (10) Pass (3) Distrust (7) Insinuation (8) Penitent (8) Adolescent (8) Month (7) Portable computer (6) Dupe (6) Spice (6)

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 4, Sitter 7, Eloquent 8 Oberon 10 Spade 13 Sire 14, Tire 15, Once 16, Pew 17, Cope 19, Ekes 21, Bartender 23, Gold 24, Zest 26, Sly 27, Abet 29, Crab 32, Lied 33, Chime 34, Robins 35, Tactless 36, Pylons.

DOWN: 1, Least 2, Molar 3, Muse 4, Stoic 5, Tree 6, Erodes 9, Breeds 11, Pit 12, Decal 13, Sneezed 15 Opt, 16 Per 18, Ordain 20, Ketch 21 ,Boy 22, Net 23, Gloomy 25, Ram 28, Bests 30, River 31, Beast 32, Lido 33, Cute.