THE CROSSWORDS
CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS
1 Beat gold in the open air (7)
4 Operatic heroine many imitate (5)
7 The song told a story (4)
8 Wise step in the present era (5,3)
10 Not a direct form of slander (10)
12 New wars or old weapons (6)
13 Stop and have a drink (6)
15 Sea water in one’s watch (10)
18 and 2 Down: Survives a heavy blow (8,3,5) 19 Prokofiev has no proof it’s on the Dnieper (4)
20 Spaniard or anyone else with a present (5)
21 Purposes of French roadside warnings (7)
DOWN
1 Bribed not to squeal? (5)
2 See 18 Across
3 Standing tree up again (6)
4 Little may be seen through it (10) 5 Doctor meets sailor in Biblical kingdom (4)
6 He becomes involved with a cheat and is naturally spotted (7)
9 Unfair conditions (3,7)
11 Walking free of pain outside (8)
12 Let everyone with a ring get married (7) 14 Disturbed drones didn’t enjoy quiet retirement (6)
16 Yields to pressure and hands over (5) 17 Once more without a profit (4)
QUICK CLUES ACROSS
1 Surgical knife (7) 4 Pugnacity (5)
7 Rebuke angrily (4) 8 Troops stationed in fort (8)
10 In advance (10) 12 Approach and speak to (6) 13 Turn on a pivot (6) 15 Rashness (10) 18 Unswervingly loyal (4,4) 19 To leave (4)
20 Form of football (5) 21 Exhibition (7)
DOWN
1 Brushwood (5)
2 Crafty trick (8)
3 Abominate (6)
4 Over great areas and distances (3,3,4)
5 The main point (4)
6 Melodious (7)
9 No doubt (10)
11 Ultimate (8)
12 Judge (7)
14 Approximately (6)
16 Admission (5)
17 Step of ladder (4)