CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

25/3 ACROSS

1. An official paper in which a thousand may be counted out (8)

7. Situation of one coming in behind the winner (5)

8. Remark how the French put it (7)

9. Fish for a weapon submariners use (7)

10. Evil things turn out to be endlessly silly (4)

12. Fundamental change to car laid out like this (7)

14. Is mental image of fats formed any differently? (7)

17. Look over the picture ultrasonics can give one (4)

18. It cuts about fifty possibly places (7)

21. To let liar loose could be a mistake in print (7)

22. Wood is like stone, by one account of it (5)

23. The Lay of the Last … Bird? (8)

DOWN

1. Fraud can take one short month to tie up (6)

2. Policeman hasn’t the energy to turn grouse (8)

3. One’s bearing when one is among soldiers (4)

4. Talk a lot about little Jack, toad that he is (6)

5. One’s lot, at being encased in iron (4)

6. Shrink in horror from the kick of a gun (6)

7. A seeming contradiction to the peace of Rome, road-making (7)

11. Roy may be the chap to go to bed in India (7)

13. Musical work put in prom, and nothing else (8)

14. Fan set out to tie it up (6)

15. So cowardly, it’s sensational (6)

16. Take it out of its socket and get lung up for overhaul (6)

19. A mariner’s cry to a sloop-rigged vessel (4)

20. Crazy upset that may take one’s breath away (4)