{ THE CROSSWORDS }

Across

1 Song girl of questionable identity and status (6) 4 Best man’s bloomer omitting end of speech (8) 9 A ragged child may be an old city feature (6) 10 A sect Jim created in impressive fashion (8) 12 Departed after the scheduled time (4) 13 Wrongly state a preference (5)

14 Come out top (4)

17 Most appealing features of newspapers perhaps (5,7)

20 A fair swimmer? (7,5)

23 Round-backed beast? Certainly (4)

24 Being an employer helps to make you single-minded (5)

25 Number not in style. What an eyesore! (4)

28 It cools the car; warms the house (8) 29 Printing machine operator (6)

30 An accommodating woman (8)

31 Marksman taking flight (6)

Down

1 With luck pals organised a little capital cover (5,3) 2 Spot on which films are made (8)

3 Multicoloured flag (4)

5 Jealousy caused by overindulgence? (12) 6 Encounter a group of hunters (4)

7 It’s sound in diplomacy (6)

8 Metal of little value in America (6)

11 He’ll fulfil his promise (3,2,3,4)

15 How government works as a rule (5)

16 Cuts up foodstuff on board (5)

18 Sole - yet not the only one (8)

19 He makes a choice but loses his head in voting (8) 21 Stock type of pen (6)

22 Excuse to knock up a Spaniard (6)

26 Shout and dance we hear (4)

27 He changes colour and sounds dreadful (4)

Across

1 Highly seasoned sausage (6) 4 Strong adverse reaction (8) 9 Available if requested (2,4) 10 Ultimate (8)

12 Boring (4)

13 Intended (5)

14 The figure 0 (4)

17 In moderation (6,6) 20 Awkward state of affairs (6,2,4)

23 Moral obligation (4) 24 Spurious (5)

25 Indication (4)

28 A fine translucent muslin (8) 29 Distant (3-3)

30 Scene of great disorder (8) 31 Gain (6)

Down

1 Decisive confrontation (8) 2 Neighbourhood (8) 3 Gentle in nature (4) 5 Beneficial (12)

6 Sort (4)

7 Mental acuteness (6) 8 Consecrate (6)

11 KGB for example (6,6) 15 Adder (5)

16 At ease (5)

18 Get along well (3,2,3) 19 Consider proper (5,3) 21 Hateful (6)

22 Mark of disgrace (6) 26 Humiliating rebuff (4) 27 Passable (4)