thecrosswords

CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS

1 Its days are numbered (7) 4 Wife returns about to be angry (5) 7 Bird’s mode of travel (4) 8 Carefully examines any seals broken (8) 10 Fix the rate, of course (3,3,4) 12 Gay as a lark? (6) 13 Approaching the resort of St Malo (6) 15 Drugs that I mix to become frantic (10) 18 Understood vessel could be reserved (8) 19 How odd a call to stop (4) 20 One backing a horse, it may be added (5) 21 Handy place for a painter to mix his colours (7)

DOWN

1 Hanging wasn’t good enough for Polonius (5) 2 Keep up support (8) 3 Article put in duplicate cover (6) 4 Old sailor has a stock of wine in a small vessel (4,6) 5 This oven has a ring outside for roasting (4) 6 Wrongly thrown into unsuitable role (7) 9 One who takes stock (10) 11 It’s not a close-up, you can bet on it (4,4) 12 Cartographer for hire? (7) 14 Excite with a bit of spooning (4,2) 16 Detect only a small amount (5) 17 Bill I’d rendered sharpish (4)

QUICK CLUES ACROSS

1 Eager to learn (7) 4 An excited cry (5) 7 Piece of work (4) 8 Ceremonial garment (8) 10 Stranded (4,3,3) 12 Tearjerker (6) 13 Tune (6) 15 Not working correctly (3,2,5) 18 Showy flowering shrub (8) 19 A support (4) 20 Shabby (5) 21 Rumour (7)

DOWN

1 A concealed difficulty (5) 2 Acquiescent (8) 3 Continuous (6) 4 Large, pulpy fruit (10) 5 In excess of (4) 6 Earthenware articles (7) 9 Customarily (10) 11 Central American country (8) 12 Financially unsound (7) 14 Fashionable (6) 16 Answer (5) 17 Neglect to do (4)