CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS 1. OT, NT protection the French get (5) 4. One politician takes suet mixture as a stimulus (7) 8. Oil-producer has nothing to exist for (5) 9. Take only fifty per cent by air on the rugby field (3-4) 10. Funny line will stop one saying anything (3) 11. For time at school a giant loses one such scold (9) 12. End of engagement: pop the question – but it’s a job (4) 13. Multihull craft looks neat to begin with (4) 18. Cast Rosie adrift and don’t allow her in society (9) 20. It was once punishingly applied by jazz enthusiast (3) 21. Speech has nothing to apportion out (7) 22. It’s amusing, the hug a novice driver gets wrong (5) 23. Were such old street gutters full of dogs? (7) 24. What Les heads off one very much dislikes (5) DOWN 1. Called to account, as are characters by author (7,2,4) 2. They span Robert as a poet (7) 3. Being re-set, about ten, applies pressure (6) 4. Tell one where to find schoolchild (6) 5. Labour now reimbursed say with a double-rhyme (3-3) 6. Change of air among the Terriers with which pope is crowned (5) 7. Yet FA’s wrong to get such games to produce flames (6,7) 14. Narrow election result may demand one to tell the tale (7) 15. Spite shown by looking-glass girl after 1st May (6) 16. Demons appear if ends are changed (6) 17. Are you well or ill? Toast will tell (6) 19. Prepare for match to be dragged along behind (5) YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION: Across 1. Brandishing 8. Repel 9. Rainbow 10. Ailment 11. Impel 12. Exacts 14. Please 18. Sober 19. Stopped 21. Measure 23. Thorn 24. Sweetbreads Down 1. Barrage 2. Ampulla 3. Delve 4. Struts 5. Initial 6. Gab 7. Dowel 13. Torture 15. Amphora 16. Endings 17. Assent 18. Simon 20. Otter 22. Ass