the crosswords

CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS

1 Work with a needle and do lacework as well (6)

4 Glues pieces of wood (6)

9 At present not there, nor anywhere else (7) 10 Defence of the absent (5) 11 Noblemen and king seen in a jumble sale (5) 12 Is inclined to enter the Church, subject to purification (7)

13 By no means the whole of the matter (3,1,3,2,2)

18 For one in ten it is essential to the diet (7) 20 Country taking in reciprocal aid (5) 22 Drinks and a sandwich (5)

23 Growing grain is tricky (7)

24 Artful Dickensian character (6)

25 His bank account is often misleading (6)

DOWN

1 Make an offer for a boat (6)

2 Building a tug? (5)

3 Prospect following land clearance (4,3)

5 A sign he has dropped out of the race (5) 6 Coming from China it is found in Italy (7) 7 Naughty ladies went to sea (6)

8 He wants to go back in politics (11)

14 Utterly pompous (7)

15 There’s nothing to hold down such a point of view (7)

16 Released and spread around (6) 17 Beware of it coming out of the garden (6) 19 Provide some evergreen duets (5) 21 Exercise for a bit (5)

QUICK CLUES ACROSS

1 To notice (6)

4 Carpentry tool (6)

9 In distant past (4,3)

10 Throw out (5)

11 Conjecture (5)

12 To fetter (7)

13 Sum of past performances (5,6) 18 Shrewdly tactful (7) 20 Salesman’s persuasive talk (5) 22 Fear-stricken state (5) 23 Uncommitted (7)

24 Stay in hiding (3,3)

25 Nothing more than (6)

DOWN

1 Torrential rain (6)

2 Slight colouring (5)

3 A definitive work (7)

5 Wild doglike carnivore (5) 6 Legislature’s presiding officer (7) 7 Suds (6)

8 The turf (11)

14 Let loose (7)

15 Take prisoner (7)

16 Wide untidy expanse (6) 17 Rather cold (6)

19 Speed and rhythm (5) 21 Crisply brief (5)