{ THE CROSSWORDS } PUZZLE 16752

Across

1 How two auxiliary verbs act (6)

4 Confiscates sea chest in shipwreck (8)

9 Is able maybe to get down to rock bottom (6) 10 Reg and Maria joined in wedlock (8)

12 Give out the wrong time (4)

13 Lives wildly producing social problems (5) 14 Vehicle to move before take-off (4)

17 An overdrawn account (12)

20 He has a small life interest (12)

23 Stops for refreshment in Nova Scotia (4)

24 A girl worker coming back about one (5) 25 Visitors to Sicily should see it before coming back (4)

28 Private hint (8)

29 It conceals the seamy side of our habits (6) 30 Extensively used troops (8)

31 Immediate credit provided (6)

Down

1 Couple hired to form a band (8)

2 All being well it should be empty (8)

3 No good thinking too much of oneself (4) 5 Embarrassed lady describing pagan Rome? (7,5) 6 Drove in another direction (4)

7 Fruit with the top off is still fruit (6)

8 Observe attack and think it right (3,3)

11 In a way I serve to tell practically nothing (4,2,6) 15 He represents a male following (5)

16 Pass on to a punctuation mark (5)

18 Bitter criticism - I’d bear it somehow (8) 19 Settled honestly (8)

21 Letter bound to have shown sympathy (6) 22 Conforming part of the body (6)

26 Short of ammunition (4)

27 It’s heard to good effect if raised on greeting (2-2)

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Across

1 Irrelevant to (6) 4 Disadvantage (8) 9 Shade of meaning (6) 10 Coerce (8) 12 Abundantly stocked (4) 13 An assigned proportion (5)

14 Cloudy (4)

17 To subject to harsh criticism (4,2,6)

20 Cruel nature (5,2,5) 23 Be depressed and listless (4)

24 Small roofed stall (5) 25 Sound of explosion (4) 28 Catch up with (8) 29 Actually (2,4) 30 Unbearable place (8) 31 Sanity (6)

Down

1 Insolvent (8)

2 Surely not (8)

3 Prisoner’s place in court (4) 5 Be in complete control (4,3,5)

6 Extending far (4)

7 Broad tree-lined road (6) 8 Please (6)

11 German rye bread (12) 15 Direct the course of (5) 16 Leave off (5)

18 The present time (8) 19 Intensify (8) 21 Ingratiating (6) 22 Attractiveness (6) 26 Impatient desire (4) 27 Prefix meaning before (4)