CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

Across

1. Teen without benefits? It’s all lies! (4)

3. Does this gun fire in circles? (8) 9. Use tool and fail (4,3) 10. Intersection was a bit abrupt (5) 11. Clear one using one when field eventing (4,8)

14. Return with front page that had a piece cut out ... (3)

16. ... but out of age group to be a delinquent (5)

17. Flashed, fled away, but something left behind (3)

18. Vindicate Don for not returning for seconds, thirds etc (3-9)

21. Mario was New Zealander and not Italian (5)

22. The pastry had no hair but was multi-coloured (7)

23. Came down to earth (8) 24. River was quiet but not shallow (4)

Down

1. Wedding attendant who had eaten too much was main newspaper item (4,4)

2. Descriptive of fundamental low activity period (5) 4. Consume some meatballs (3) 5. Extends the touch lines? (12) 6. Cover for Vera with unusual DNA (7)

7. Stagger during a three-legged race (4)

8. A dialogue about a cast iron oven (12)

12. It was done with egg (5) 13. Something to flavour the mutton chops? It is a dunking (5,3)

15. When there was no charge from the Romans (3,4)

19. Find out with magnified picture (5) 20. Go back with manuscript in smoke screen (4) 22. Pastry is eaten first of all (3)