THE CROSSWORDS

CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS

1 He leaves his country to be protected by another (7)

5 It comes straight from the horse’s mouth (5)

8 Fixed rule deciding priority in a queue? (8,5)

9 The inclusion of two similar points produces a titter (2-3)

10 Expert required if skull is damaged (7) 11 Wrongly push in? That’s correct (6) 12 Presumably he had a good reason for being late (6)

15 Drain a pipe (7)

17 Just correct (5)

19 Be a critical MP in a way? Can’t be done! (13) 20 Freely traverse the mountains (5)

21 Sign of fever, perhaps, and rash (7)

DOWN

1 Transplanted trees (5)

2 It meant no discharge for the old gunner (5,2,3,3)

3 She’s worshipped by a man in the gallery (7) 4 Resent having to change one’s name (6) 5 No, I am wrong, it’s a girl (5)

6 Be fit and agile, perhaps, and tireless (13) 7 He takes obstacles in his stride (7)

11 The first head of government (7)

13 Fruit reallocated to Capri (7)

14 Make an effort to reduce the rent? (6) 16 Practice gives us time (5)

18 We and Ted designed the material (5)

QUICK CLUES ACROSS

1 Warship’s boat (7) 5 Audibly (5)

8 Perverse obstinacy (3-10) 9 Portion (5) 10 Retaliatory measure (7) 11 Loathe (6)

12 Acquire (6) 15 Conveyance (7) 17 Watchful (5)

19 Stay out of the limelight (4,1,4,4) 20 Attempt (5)

21 Unduly protracted (7)

DOWN

1 Reinvigorate (3,2) 2 Of little account (2,5,6) 3 Eternal (7)

4 To last (6)

5 Make sense (3,2) 6 Exaggeration (13) 7 Detect (7) 11 Ardent enthusiast (7) 13 Denigrate (7) 14 Bring back to mind (6) 16 Cautious (5) 18 Shabby (5)