THE CROSSWORDS
CRYPTIC CLUES
ACROSS 1 Prudence West is taking Benedictine (6) 4 Can’t be fired at bosses’ order (8)
9 Strong ringleader and ring smashed (6) 10 Outcome of the grain harvest (6,2)
12 Even well-done steaks may be nowadays (4) 13 Trail used by a tank (5)
14 A row about it is put back (4)
17 Advance from bank to bank? (8,4)
20 They’re the last to go to the wall (6,6)
23 A long time and a bad one (4)
24 A rather attractive sort of accent (5)
25 He’s got to go inside (4)
28 Indian rain-makers (8)
29 Work hard to complete the last part (3,3) 30 They may wilt and droop in the centres (8) 31 Leaves the broken plates (6) DOWN 1 Possibly wore drab clothes (8)
2 Out of town - and out of the country (8) 3 Deal exclusively with someone in a furious temper (4)
5 Beaming they take the cash girl’s change (12) 6 A nymph in the chorus (4)
7 It’s very hot when it’s clear on the hill (6) 8 Watch for a second coming (6)
11 An original Christmas gift (12)
15 Silver down at melting point? (5)
16 Quiet Bohemian celebration (5)
18 A song about a subject one can’t stand (8) 19 Practically of an equally high standard (2,4,2) 21 Sailor joins a Scotsman on the roads (6) 22 Carpenter likely to become a union member? (6)
26 Chemical gives rise to difficulties (4)
27 New deal for a depressed area (4)
QUICK CLUES
ACROSS
1 Waste time in trifling (6) 4 Contraband (8)
9 Sailcloth (6)
10 Superficial (4-4)
12 Wholly engrossed (4)
13 To some extent (5)
14 Before long (4)
17 Unique in kind (12)
20 Task freely undertaken (6,2,4) 23 Antiaircraft fire (4)
24 A language of India (5) 25 Impudent (4)
28 Cite as example (8)
29 Useless (2-4)
30 La Gioconda (4,4)
31 Full of odd ideas (6)
DOWN
1 Dignified and decent (8) 2 Trachea (8)
3 To incline (4)
5 Be up to standard (4,3,5) 6 Band of criminals (4) 7 Stay in hiding (3,3)
8 Rely (6)
11 Criticise severely (4,2,6) 15 A fair chance (5) 16 Muscular (5)
18 Loss of status (8)
19 In anger (8)
21 State as a fact (6) 22 Small dark plum (6) 26 Collapse (4)
27 Sullenly obstinate (4)