the crosswords

CRYPTIC CLUES

ACROSS

1 The ice man cometh unstuck in the movies (6) 4 Curtains are spread out (6) 9 Accuse the little devil of taking every one (7) 10 Follow mother in principle (5) 11 Bundled the French back into bed (5) 12 The personification of cunning (7) 13 Take what is suitable? (11) 18 Dressed for an attack, we hear (7) 20 It is paid for what baby-minders do after six (5) 22 Changes are OK in the country (5) 23 A betrayal that will pack the theatre (4-3) 24 Intentionally exasperating? (6) 25 The handsome young man said no, unfortunately (6)

DOWN

1 Many legs or shins (6) 2 Very hilly country for a plane to come to (5) 3 Keep turning a repairman out? (7) 5 Red-faced because of a mild expletive? (5) 6 Show part of a book to a worker (7) 7 They are found at sports grounds and in the street (6) 8 He goes to work on foot (11) 14 Describe wine and fish (7) 15 One who is bad and worthless (7) 16 Highly strung cause of disturbance (6) 17 Conditions found in America (6) 19 Tale about the East is long (5) 21 A pointed horn clipped (5)

QUICK CLUES ACROSS

1 Wretchedness (6) 4 Heavy rope (6) 9 Middle East salt lake (4,3) 10 Constant (5) 11 Of the sun (5) 12 Warp (7) 13 Mutual concessions (4,3,4) 18 Characteristic (7) 20 A sailing vessel (5) 22 Stand very high (5) 23 Wrongfully disregard (7) 24 Religious discourse (6) 25 Displease (6)

DOWN

1 Fashionable (6) 2 Play for time (5) 3 Reticence (7) 5 North African mountains (5) 6 Shakespearean usurer (7) 7 Tell (6) 8 In close cooperation (4,2,5) 14 Governing (2,5) 15 Become airborne (4,3) 16 Prestige (6) 17 Protect (6) 19 Freight (5) 21 Vestige (5)