the crossword

CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS

1 The Spanish weapon that allows arms manoeuvres (5)

4 Perhaps Medusa’s taken for granted (7) 8 A mercenary will fight for it (3)

9 In addition to the principal’s expenses (9) 10 Take out passage from book unless it holds reader at the start (7) 11 Classified unconventional trade (5) 13 Cupholder? (6)

15 Operatic heroine that is at heart betrayed (6) 18 Artist’s stand-by (5)

19 Soup can be freshly made for the star (7) 21 A harvest on new soil in ancient Greece (9) 23 Even in a row it shows love and a warm heart (3)

24 Take a side turning perhaps (7) 25 Return and surrender (5)

Down

1 No longer journalist that’s clear (7) 2 Young male troopers (3,6)

3 He wants a hand (5)

4 They don’t play principal parts (6) 5 Fields of activity he gets a mixed press about (7)

6 Bird on the lawn, we hear (3)

7 At festive occasions a journalist is treated

(5)

12 Give one a ring, then elope perhaps (9) 14 A natural sunshade (7) 16 Determined - though certain to come in last (7)

17 Finds fault when it’s chilly on board (6) 18 Animal from China, for example? (5) 20 Overturning an abode of pigs is

unpleasant (5)

22 Cheap paper enjoyed by students (3)

QUICK CLUES ACROSS

1 Betrayer (5)

4 Sympathetic relationship (7) 8 Commercial vehicle (3) 9 Dutch diamond centre (9) 10 Illuminate (7)

11 Audibly (5)

13 Almost (6)

15 Handsome young man (6) 18 Tosca for example (5) 19 Wrong (2,5) 21 Uncompromising person (9) 23 Tint (3)

24 Performance of music (7) 25 Fortunate (5)

DOWN

1 Light throwing-spear (7) 2 Belittle character of (9) 3 Beam of light (5) 4 Insurrection (6) 5 Horse of black and white markings (7)

6 Eccentric (3)

7 Easily frightened (5) 12 Possession (9)

14 Printed hand-out (7) 16 Witchcraft (7) 17 Conspicuous (6) 18 Further (5)

20 Soil (5)

22 Huge legendary bird (3)