{ THE CROSSWORDS }

CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS

1 Steps up travel by air (6)

4 Rubbish heap containing the heads of faded flowers (6)

9 The last development in secrecy (7)

10 Long time getting a letter (5)

11 Insert a song (5)

12 The king gains friends and recovers (7)

13 He ought to be able to negotiate a big rise (11)

18 Wine cash bill is incorrect - fifty short (7) 20 Points to the girl to follow (5)

22 Regretting having to destroy a note (5) 23 Bring up a picture? (7)

24 Give fellow a note (6)

25 There’s a change in a girl (6)

DOWN

1 Relic of old ship in protective wrapping (6) 2 Having no flaws though I have a lot (5)

3 Can holy orders be so calm and peaceful? (7) 5 Fifty idly knock up a poem (5)

6 Slight scrap in the queue (7)

7 He is unusually tense about mid-afternoon (6) 8 But a blunt question may incur it (5,6)

14 The speech goes on about proportion (7) 15 Unnecessary pointless sewing implements (7) 16 Awfully sacred? (6)

17 Remote sort of astronomical object (6)

19 It’s quite lawful to run away (5)

21 A rash sort of girl (5)

QUICK CLUES ACROSS

1 Curt (6)

4 Become less severe (6) 9 Whirlwind (7)

10 Introduce (5)

11 Become aware of (5)

12 Take up and support (7) 13 The essential details (5-6) 18 Unspecified person (2-3-2) 20 Situation (5) 22 Disapproving expression (5) 23 Tell in detail (7)

24 Accounts book (6) 25 Abundance (6)

DOWN

1 Give proof of (6)

2 To mature (5)

3 Express objection (7)

5 Fit out (5)

6 Use up (7)

7 Small tower (6)

8 Secret resistance movement (11) 14 Concisely (2,1,4)

15 Put at risk (7)

16 Practical (6)

17 Unorthodox doctrine (6) 19 Slow learner (5)

21 Once more (5)