THE CROSSWORDS

CRYPTIC CLUES

ACROSS

1 Supporter of something wicked (6) 4 Dramatist in conflict about method of payment (6)

9 If you lose it you may slip - into the red? (7) 10 I’m a long time making a picture (5)

11 They spread out in all directions (5) 12 Married eccentric lover (7)

13 Accept that truants won’t want to (4,2,5) 18 For doctors with a place in the China Sea (7) 20 Collector’s item in ‘Twelfth Night’ (5)

22 Let in many in the entrance (5)

23 I’m given money to hold legally (7)

24 Track for an athlete (6)

25 There’s a change of name here (6)

DOWN

1 2 3 5 6 7 8 14

15 16 17 19 21

It’s out of town and out of the country (6) Bribed not to squeal? (5)

Scheme to get hotel erected in the bay (7) It may be smoked out of its den (5)

Sue is of use (7)

Gloomy doctor having a bad year (6)

Great madness (11)

Some ran badly, running not being their sport (7)

Sees trouble, grabs a hat and gets out (7) Sounds like a passable romance (6)

Dust we drop all over the place (6) Extravagant version of true love (5)

The end of Victor Hugo turned out hard (5)

QUICK CLUES ACROSS

1 4 9 10 11 12 13 18 20 22

23 24 25

Powerful (6)

Not despair (4,2)

Devoid of originality (7) Deduce (5)

Move furtively (5)

Strongly resisting change (3-4) Brought under control (5,2,4) Dig up (7)

Fine cotton thread (5) Intermittent high-pitched sound (5)

Unconventional (7) As compared with (6) Go beyond (6)

DOWN

1 2 3 5 6 7 8 14 15 16 17 19 21

Maltreat (6)

Charming trait (5)

Feeble flow (7)

A banished person (5) Chorus (7)

Display ostentatiously (6) Help to explain (4,5,2) Eternal (7)

Canadian Atlantic port (7) Confused din (6)

Angry (6)

Fast (5)

Leather with napped surface (5)