CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

2. It is dug out and planted with explosives (5)

5. Part of a lamp necessary to Warwickshire (4)

7. It is as old as a pike can be (4)

8. Having stuck fast in the reed, softened one’s attitude (8)

9. RM perhaps providing the school with time off (4-4)

11. They get doffed if one tells a better story (4)

12. The setter observes duties from 4-6 and 6-8 (3,3,7)

15. Be after rating with a clergyman in France (4)

17. Title may be given to revolutionary who strewed paper about (8)

19. The principal bit of country that juts out to sea (8)

21. A nip that could hurt one (4)

22. Gardener’s basket it’s right to haul around (4)

23. An appointment to put to the test on the street (5)

DOWN

1. Porcine equivalent of the sheep-dip is rubbish (7)

2. Almost made it deranged (3)

3. Manage with care and economy to be a nanny (5)

4. Problem situation that gives me a mild turn (7)

5. How anorexia shows one looking pallid (3)

6. The sound a chick makes sounds reasonable (5)

17/10

10. How to fake a patch inserted in the newspaper (5)

11. Secret store of carbon each can supply (5)

13. Is as brave as a lady’s-man can be (7)

14. Is smoothing things out a bit late in the day (7)

16. Watery top to beer leading to real trouble (5)

18. Hot drink of rum used in thirsty extremes (5)

20. Do some spadework as a taunt (3)

21. Is this the shot used to sink a snooker ball? (3) YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION

Across: 1. Manufacturer 8. Affected 9. Scum 11. Delve

12. Spartan 13. Elba 15. Glut 19. College 20. Extra 22. Idea

23. Monastic 24. Free-standing

Down: 2. Awful 3. Uncles 4. Averse 5. Recital

6. Remonstrance 7. Handkerchief 10. Gap 14. Believe 16. Bed

17. Verona 18. Reward 21. Titan