CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Exercise requiring words of encouragement (4-2) 5 Manages to get redesigned hive accepted by experts (8) 9 Docked support vehicle

at game (8) 10 One’s batting bottle

is undone by this (6) 11 Aviators with female

in agony must get fuel (8) 12 Party chief’s sphere

of influence (6) 13 Dogs eating last of

dinner for miners (8) 15 Yield from planned

economy rejected (4) 17 Part of small hotel,

originally upmarket (4) 19 Two ducks in New Forest

getting tired (8) 20 Problem seen in

Standard column (6) 21 Grannie’s lost income

from investments? (8) 22 Short temper? (6) 23 A woman of the cloth accepts no church state (8) 24 Marine bank anticipating the Spanish nonsense (8) 25 The First Lady, 50, seen in New York regularly (6)

DOWN

2 Fine leaves boss of kitchen

covering a problem (8) 3 Can he con criminal?

Absolutely not! (2,6) 4 Minister’s responsibility

for output of artist (9) 5 An unexpected turn of events, and isn’t he a litigant in a muddle? (1,5,2,3,4) 6 Devil with evidence of debts

showing lack of respect (7) 7 French wine circle entertaining old boy up for hot food (8) 8 Brawn as speciality (8) 14 Fancy ordering a barrier for some immigrants (3,6) 15 Framed Frenchman after company acted (8) 16 Residence or fine home within the outskirts of Dorking (8) 17 Unusual prejudice seeing no judge initially offering treatment such as this (8) 18 American revolutionary with chewed cigar left such spirit (8) 19 Delicate bit of cloth found in record cabinet (7)