{ THE CROSSWORDS }

CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS

1 Withdrawn, being a little hurt (9) 8 Hesitantly stated a colour and was wrong (5) 9 Object after tips turn out to be one’s salary (7) 10 A cloister is more confined without it (6) 11 Humourless nonsense but it could bring the house down (3,3) 12 It’s OK; there’s no-one left (3,5) 15 Shoved round in the wrong way and penalised (8) 18 Game admission of defeat (3,3) 20 Ridicules cooks? (6) 21 One’s kid supplies supple leather (7) 22 If the order is not the usual he’ll help himself (5) 23 Uninterrupted flow of traffic (4,5)

DOWN

2 Trace misdirected supply (5) 3 It has a certain current value (6) 4 Replace the cap on war memorial (8) 5 He gives his companions a hand (6) 6 Quietly agrees it could be some omen (7) 7 A girl getting into trouble for hero-worship possibly (9) 11 Change of speed leads to speed which is reckless (9) 13 Sweetheart is one entitled to affection (8) 14 He is bad and worthless (7) 16 Start to show to advantage (3,3) 17 His accounts may be all at sea (6) 19 The dailies held back this story (5)

QUICK CLUES ACROSS

1 Terrifying (9) 8 A bulb vegetable (5) 9 Restricted in scope (7) 10 Melody (6) 11 Busy and confused (6) 12 Huge (8) 15 Norwegian polar explorer (8) 18 Aviator (6) 20 Harm (6) 21 Legacy (7) 22 Wash with clean water (5) 23 Exceptionally inexpensive (4,5)

DOWN

2 River of west Europe (5) 3 Merriment (6) 4 Immoderately (2,6) 5 Linger idly (6) 6 Repudiate (7) 7 Independently (2,4,3) 11 Loud clamour (3,3,3) 13 Additional decoration (8) 14 A call to appear (7) 16 Grimly persistent (6) 17 Habitual grumbler (6) 19 Bewildered (2,3)