THE CROSSWORDS

CRYPTIC CLUES PUZZLE 16387

ACROSS

1 Catch a girl - nothing to it (5)

8 The lanes wind round a remote island (2,6)

9 He took a certain measure - to try and stop Christmas (5)

10 Cocktail that goes well over the bar? (8)

11 Looks like a well used part of a mine (5)

12 Main points on an article (3)

16 Dormant fish turned into a snake (6)

17 Cleaner air can’t be found here (6)

18 Variety of pea that’s a good climber (3)

23 A torn stub joins at the sides (5)

24 A way to gain an admission (8)

25 Game in which Harry leads mother (5)

26 I’m retiring into an easily-managed residence (8)

27 Love to have a party again (5)

DOWN

2 Nymph with broken heart goes to America (8)

3 Possible secret of not having to pay (4-4)

4 Don’t work but possibly make money (6) 5 I held out for foreign capital (5)

6 Lawful for example inside; all wrong outside (5)

7 The girl is seen to venture out (5)

12 A place in which a man’s pains may be alleviated (3)

13 A welcome shout (3)

14 Blackleg Shakespeare put to the sword (8) 15 Maybe more cuts will attract one (8)

19 Jam, strange as it may seem (6)

20 Highly intoxicating (5)

21 Frank impression (5)

22 Imagine being decorated (5)

QUICK CLUES ACROSS

1 Motionless (5)

8 Succeed (3,5)

9 Destroyed by fire (5)

10 Tough customer (4,4)

11 To humble (5)

12 Long bench in church (3)

16 An uproar (6)

17 Eventually (2,4)

18 Unit of weight (3)

23 Grind together (5)

24 Regard as total loss (5,3)

25 Light sailing vessel (5)

26 Farewell performance (8)

27 Former Scottish capital (5)

DOWN

2 Unswervingly loyal (4-4) 3 Bet against heavy odds (4,4) 4 Scold (6)

5 Careful consideration (5) 6 Punitive (5)

7 Take great delight (5) 12 Favourite (3)

13 Be victorious (3)

14 A prehistoric period (5,3) 15 Very successful show (5,3) 19 Do wrong (6)

20 Distort meaning of (5)

21 Full of life (5)

22 Strained (5)