CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

Across

1. It’s a crime one may take as an affront (7)

5. Haul back to church through a narrow ravine (5) 8. Butterfly with its place on the bridge? (7) 9. Pythias’ friend returned, a wanderer (5)

10. A fleeting view of eel her map afforded (9)

12. A tint, and cry of the chase (3) 13. Assumption of a mix that can have nothing in it (5) 17. Succour, as offered by topless servant (3) 19. Company’s security may need brute to organise it (9) 21. Company we have is right to shrink in fear (5) 22. Then can it be made to captivate one? (7) 24. Teetotal advertisement for a nymph in the woods (5) 25. Being rash, he had to get sorted out (7)

Down

1. Sort of grey-pink mushroom (6)

2. Flirtatious journey by air to capital of Yemen (7) 3. Raised surface offered a racing certainty (3)

4. The lesser rorqual shows there’s some mistake (5) 5. Person of breeding might lament gen being put out (9) 6. Fluid an elderly MP has to hold (5)

7. Did wrong, when bird was about, to have kept it secret (6) 11. Wandered at random in Eden, dream being broken (9) 14. Bottle of rouge – a top claret, maybe (7)

15. Rank that managed the plain-clothes branch (6) 16. Animal surgeon Edward passed as being sound (6)

18. A girl’s marriage portion will serve, twisted as it may be (5) 20. Put ashore, one is told, to find a tree (5)

23. Divide the pack, and make it short (3)