THE CROSSWORDS

CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS

1 Show rank subservience? (6)

4 True account by a cleric (8)

9 On a winding road it is showing skill (6) 10 Unexceptional charge of the simplest kind in heraldry (8)

12 Short cut taken when hunting (4)

13 Duck down (5)

14 Propose to change house (4)

17 They know their actions mean the high jump (12) 20 Eminent composer? (6,2,4)

23 A classical author I’d nothing against at first (4) 24 Absolutely diaphanous? (5)

25 Seafarer not entirely well off (4)

28 Don’t be in a hurry to use a stopwatch (4,4) 29 Clergyman taking a point to heart may be fired (6) 30 Seems Ken is put out by humility (8)

31 A sailor does need to change addresses (6)

DOWN

1 One of the art gallery’s main exhibits? (8) 2 Old port in Labrador perhaps (8)

3 Hard work one gets very much upset about (4) 5 Wrote and agreed (12)

6 University can come up to accepted standard (4) 7 Aggressive female goes to sea (6)

8 Rarely seen part of the French president’s residence (6)

11 Preliminary plans for training aviators? (5,7) 15 Ox and cox (5)

16 Boat with half the crew in the stern (5) 18 Swindle made to pay - but jailed perhaps (8) 19 If you lose them, then you’re lost as well (8) 21 Weaver’s seat? (6)

22 Preserve from predicament (6)

26 Make senseless crazy ascent (4)

27 Block sound at door? (4)

QUICK CLUES ACROSS

1 A set of eight (6)

4 A visionary (8)

9 Fall headlong (6) 10 Fragrant-flowered plant (5,3) 12 Having sharp taste (4) 13 Smelling stale (5) 14 Malarial fever (4) 17 Meddlesomeness (12) 20 A trusted older mentor (6,6) 23 Threatening (4)

24 In weak health (5) 25 Without energy (4) 28 Official etiquette (8) 29 Attractively unfamiliar (6) 30 Entirety (8)

31 Concoct (4,2)

DOWN

1 Surpass in competition (8) 2 Impudence (8) 3 Mouse-like rodent (4) 5 Irretrievably lost (4,3,5) 6 Summit (4)

7 Call in question (6) 8 Merchant (6)

11 Be in control (4,3,5)

15 A pause in work (5)

16 A durable open-weave fabric (5) 18 On the run (8)

19 Maintain one’s effort (4,2,2) 21 Amount produced (6)

22 At full speed (3,3)

26 Calmly audacious (4) 27 Distinctive atmosphere (4)