CRYPTIC CLUES

ACROSS

1 Half wake up? (4,3,3) 8 Called for someone at the hotel (5) 9 It’s descriptive of the pet I set free (7) 10 It’s designed and built as an ocean container (3,4) 11 Dutchman who gives us advice? (5) 12 A form of assurance (6) 14 Look for respect (6) 17 Properly run he could be a leading Indian (5) 19 Stop the music (7) 21 Puzzle no more (7) 22 It sounds cold in the country (5) 23 As Samson was when shorn of his locks? (10)

DOWN

2 Queue for a hair-piece (7) 3 Help an upright girl (5) 4 Pointer to what the heckler tries to do (6) 5 He won’t eat anything (7) 6 The trouble with one hundred is moral (5) 7 Those present two hours before midnight at a ball (10) 8 Having an adjournment but stopping on, perhaps (10) 13 Partners who dance up in close formation (7) 15 Greed for caviare spread (7) 16 One is often led to use it by mistake (6) 18 Put on edge (5) 20 Subjects in it are clearly defined (5)

QUICK CLUES ACROSS

1 Commercial middleman (10) 8 Vex (5) 9 Idealistic (7) 10 Type of fishing boat (7) 11 Strict (5) 12 South American country (6) 14 Prevent from falling (4,2) 17 Stretch of land (5) 19 Hostile (7) 21 Witty saying (7) 22 Stably balanced state (5) 23 Mutual dependence (10)

DOWN

2 Central European country (7) 3 Faithful (5) 4 Wriggle (6) 5 Brief inspection (4-3) 6 Bring up (5) 7 Intact (2,3,5) 8 As a total (10) 13 Spontaneous (7) 15 Continue stubbornly (7) 16 Wedged (6) 18 Wrongly (5) 20 A venomous snake (5)