{ THE CROSSWORDS }

CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS

1 Scottish regiment not for light duties? (5,5) 8 Provide food for a pet with hesitation (5) 9 Able to pay back in five pound notes, perhaps (7)

10 New native quarter shows simplicity (7) 11 Picture of some currently popular group (5) 12 Naughty ladies men dream of (6)

14 Stick a number in this place (6)

17 She’s found in excellent company (5) 19 Gratifying reception (7)

21 Officer apt to be taken in by a murderer (7) 22 Doesn’t lose in cutting the cackle? (5)

23 It’s diverting, though irrelevant (3,7)

DOWN

2 Let Act 1 be adopted for the network (7) 3 Dog that is scientifically famous (5)

4 Was upset, so deserts (6)

5 Agreed everything was bound to come out (7)

6 Downtrodden cads (5)

7 They experience initial difficulty in speechmaking (10)

8 Trust in secrecy (10)

13 Whistle cord, any enclosed in grease (7) 15 Feeling I get on turning over a large volume (7)

16 Pang suffered by one of two, for example, on rising (6)

18 He’s not well - being partly senile perhaps (5) 20 Drink up like a king (5)

QUICK CLUES ACROSS

1 Incomprehensible subject (6,4) 8 Birthplace of Mohammed (5) 9 Constructor (7)

10 Perplex utterly (7) 11 Commencement (5) 12 Nepalese mountaineer (6) 14 Loudness (6)

17 Happen repeatedly (5) 19 Japanese code of chivalry (7) 21 Famous Russian ballerina (7) 22 Not joining in (5) 23 Author’s pseudonym (3,2,5)

DOWN

2 Grant of permission (7) 3 Insignificant (5) 4 Lower reputation of (6) 5 South American river (7) 6 Prestige (5) 7 Regarded as total loss (7,3) 8 MS (10)

13 Carry out (7) 15 Unvarying (7) 16 Burning brightly (6) 18 Band of witches (5) 20 Play for time (5)