{ THE CROSSWORDS }

CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS

1 Rushing madly in great confusion (7) 5 Is classified as military distinctions (5) 8 Possibly eats pills as sweets (9)

9 It’s sticky to chew (3)

10 Separate, if in the way (4)

12 Cheer up when the right man is about (8) 14 Mistakes are a source of mirth in play (6) 15 Strangely remote star (6)

17 Here cars are involved in scientific inquiry (8)

18 A melody recalled in opera (4)

21 Break in the late afternoon (3)

22 A Dickens book shattered this dream (4,5) 24 Cried out for a drink (5)

25 Help to taste the wine (7)

DOWN

1 Poets befuddled by drinks (5)

2 Male singer loses his head - the fool! (3) 3 This island is home for a goddess (4) 4 Unusual goal concerning many (6) 5 Reconciled to having had to give up work (8)

6 Gathering odd garments for wear in bed (5,4)

7 Remains as a student group (7)

11 Strong line taken at a trade exhibition? (4,5)

13 Break one’s nose, perhaps (8)

14 Man goes about desert, wandering (7) 16 Fairly large numbers of marks (6)

19 When established, something to one’s credit (5)

20 Highly placed at work (4)

23 He was against capitalism and mother love (3)

QUICK CLUES ACROSS

1 Rampart (7)

5 Precipitous (5)

8 Subdue (9)

9 Impose (3)

10 Take note of (4)

12 Means of escape (8) 14 Bowman (6)

15 Flippancy (6)

17 Visit habitually (8)

18 To spring (4)

21 Advantage (3)

22 While being conveyed (2,7) 24 Late (5)

25 Central European country (7)

DOWN

1 Flower (5)

2 To rest (3)

3 High mountains (4)

4 Fawn (6)

5 Moral reservations (8) 6 Tense and dangerous (9) 7 Earthenware articles (7) 11 Gangster (9)

13 Adorn (8)

14 Culpable (2,5)

16 Small incomplete part (6) 19 Small-minded (5) 20 Daybreak (4)

23 Ocean (3)