THE CROSSWORDS QUICK CLUES

PUZZLE 15950

CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS

1 Doesn’t let go, but changes instead (7) 4 Slur that may have to be examined microscopically (5)

7 No article from Spain for Christmas (4) 8 Clear evidence of what a ship is carrying (8)

10 Extra parts? (5,5)

12 Shut a letter in a cupboard (6)

13 Gets calmer after a wild sally (6) 15 Devious game of golf starts a fight (10) 18 Tip fifty into the boat (8)

19 Capital punishment? (4)

20 Check the advance of a sick man’s comeback (5)

21 See 2 Down

DOWN

1 Dug up some fabric (5)

2 and 21 Across: As far as it goes, in a way (3,3,2,3,4)

3 Main reason for poor visibility (3,3)

4 New coalfields cut into handy pieces (6,4) 5 Quits the day before new start is to be made (4)

6 Answers which may be dispensed with (7) 9 A fight, but nobody is charged (4-3-3) 11 Polo man breaks in one horse (8)

12 He applauds the bellringer (7)

14 Inferior bangle? (6)

16 A step in making wine? (5)

17 Pins up a small piece (4)

ACROSS

1 Prevent from speaking (7) 4 To quibble (5) 7 Wander (4)

8 Throw doubt upon (8) 10 Firearms smuggling (10) 12 Of one’s own accord (6) 13 Large fish-eating bird (6) 15 An exile (10)

18 High praise (8) 19 Search minutely (4) 20 South Arabian country (5) 21 Useful hint (7)

DOWN

1 Gesture of indifference (5) 2 Fragrant plant (8)

3 Of horses (6)

4 US Mafia (4,6) 5 Unavailing (4) 6 Protracted (7)

9 US white supremacists (2,4,4) 11 An escape from jail (8) 12 Far-fetched notion (7) 14 Short of money (4,2) 16 A glowing fragment (5) 17 Swindle (4)