thecrosswords

CRYPTIC CLUES

ACROSS

1 One’s naughty spirit as an individual (7) 5 Plead for one trodden underfoot (5)

8 Sailor told to go round the globe taking things in? (9)

9 Favourite mood? Hardly (3)

10 Bumble bee left inside a German flower (4) 12 Love isn’t unusual as the theme for her writings (8)

14 Reach a strange river (6)

15 Fights for food left over (6)

17 Not a friendly visit made by a bugler (4,4) 18 Heavy piece of wood, though it could be light (4)

21 Woman prepared to follow an order (3) 22 The present perfect? (5,4)

24 Not a crime to be coolly carried out (5) 25 Examination one hopes to pass on sight (3,4)

DOWN

1 Talk or possibly eat (5)

2 Typical measures (3)

3 Lear deranged and demoted (4)

4 One may find a free love arrangement in these islands (6)

5 Waiting without complaint for a game (8) 6 Not a unique type of bridge (9) 7 Understatement in TS Eliot composition (7) 11 Vocalists in boaters, perhaps (9)

13 A compulsory turn-out (8)

14 Literary supplements? (7)

16 Place of secret laughter (6)

19 An air of sanctity (5)

20 It’s bitter beer with nothing in it (4)

23 It’s very cold in Arctic exploration (3)

QUICK CLUES

ACROSS

1 Amount short (7) 5 An extra benefit (5) 8 Mostly (2,7)

9 To court (3) 10 Critical examination (4) 12 In decline (8) 14 Harass (6)

15 Dirty, untidy place (6) 17 Biased (3-5) 18 Unfounded belief (4) 21 Female sheep (3) 22 Without preparation (9) 24 Out of practice (5) 25 Said to be (7)

DOWN

1 Leeway (5)

2 Stuffy atmosphere (3) 3 Geometric solid figure (4) 4 Deep bowl for soup (6) 5 Country of east Europe (8) 6 U.S. Atlantic state (3,6) 7 Soon (7) 11 Amorphous (9) 13 Uselessness (8) 14 Trailblazer (7) 16 Custodian (6) 19 Hunting dog (5) 20 Ceremonial display (4) 23 Deep hole in ground (3)