the crosswords

PUZZLE 14605

CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS

1 Wrapper of a pirate journal (6,5) 9 This month everyone is to get ready to work (7) 10 Be extremely vocal (5) 11 Not the sole order dogs learn to obey (4) 12 Guard dispatched one with a half-nelson (8) 14 Quietly yearn for table linen (6) 16 As a whole where diplomats excel (6) 18 Political favours? (8) 19 We’re reformed in jug (4) 22 He’s absorbed in a steel merger (5) 23 Paul is confused about a border flower (7) 24 It’s safe to say where card players’ success lies (2,4,5)

DOWN

2 The outcome is to go to law(5) 3 It’s made to take medicine that sounds disgusting (4) 4 Wave put in the hair (6) 5 Etching - or a waterco lour? (8) 6 Points to raise in a republic (7) 7 They tend to work after dark (5,6) 8 Put in a word for the working classes (11) 13 Person who talks one roundto see musical work (8) 15 A lettered chap after a job (7) 17 Barked shrilly or deeply when disturbed (6) 20 Bandaged an injury? (5) 21 Capital mail order (4)

QUICK CLUES ACROSS

1 Daybreak (5,2,4) 9 Daring feat (7) 10 An Italian sauce (5) 11 The chances (4) 12 Disagreement (8) 14 Celebrated (6) 16 Gentle breeze (6) 18 Hard metal, aka wolfram (8) 19 Made haste (4) 22 Relating to birds (5) 23 Unfamiliar (7) 24 A few times (4,2,5)

DOWN

2 Swift (5) 3 Unfriendly (4) 4 Set of clothes (6) 5 Underprivileged (8) 6 Sharp in retort (7) 7 Release pent-up feelings (3,3,5) 8 Oppressed (11) 13 Pest (8) 15 Large house (7) 17 Smaller in size or amount (6) 20 Infectious fright (5) 21 Top of a slope (4)