CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

7. Riverside condition meant a loss showing on one’s balance (4,9)

8. Tried to devour a need for it (11)

12. Democrat leader being terse about it puts one off (6)

14. The fruit of wrath may be sour when out of reach (6)

16. His business is growing (6)

18. Leave one marooned along the shore (6)

19. Policy Agnes took out against their being shot in skeet (4,7)

23. In contrast, I’d ban this mixture for a smuggler (13) DOWN

1. Italian sea horse (4)

2. First school child attends in sudden change of direction (4)

3. They let one suck up what are clutched at in desperation (6)

4. Such waters, being alcoholic, are well provided (6)

5. Frost put up as an independent chieftain (4)

6. How to prune the ends by mistake (4)

9. It is not affected by sharp or flat (7)

10. Say how it is the axle-pin gets broken (7)

11. It isn’t new, to be so exploited (4)

12. It is handy to be fed up at top table (4)

13. Regret having to find it in a cruet (3)

15. It’s decay that starts ruin of trees (3)

17. Ring again to get the sentence quashed (6)

18. Sailing around without one to send a message (6)

19. In China, seal a portion of meat on the bone (4)

20. They may be graphic, or applied to a degree of a sort (4)

21. Price bookie offers for miscellaneous pieces (4)

22. The band, depending on the shoulder, may have its cord (4) YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION: Across 1. Philosopher 7. Yashmak 9. Aged

11. Avail 12. Parent 14. Seismograph 18. Backer 20. Title 22. Oars

23. Torture 24. Tiddlywinks

Down 2. Hostage 3. Sake 4. Eagle 5. Byway 6. Edits 8. Molested

10. Narrator 13. Fog 15. Pot luck 16. Abbot 17. Seven 19. Corgi 21. Stay