TWO-SPEED CROSSWORD

CRYPTIC CLUES

ACROSS 1 Left-wing gathering, it’s

broken up (9) 6 Quietly we returned the

seat (3) 8 Skips through ballroom, it

seems (5) 9 Exercises could be sharp,

maybe (7) 10 Top of linen cap is

collapsible (8) 11 Bear eastern guru (4) 13 Face admitting something

wicked when pondering

(6) 14 Really enjoying French wine

encased in firewood (6) 17 Provoke a dog cruelly (4) 19 Giving way to complicated

dig in Ely (8) 22 Could be all thin insects in

here (3-4) 23 School coach (5) 24 Aim to give tip (3) 25 Ineffectual peers slow to

change (9) DOWN 1 Exclusive bit of ice cream? (5) 2 Stencil produced for the

customers (7) 3 Refuses to drink with sailor

with marks (8) 4 Urges simple changes (6) 5 Change direction and re

verse in well-worn ruts (4) 6 Instrument causing pain

over nothing (5) 7 Laundry used to be hard in

Germany, initially (7) 12 Tells pro about ballot

organiser (8) 13 Industrial bigwig organises management without workforce (7) 15 One friend collects Italian

copy (7) 16 Raised edge on blue

cushion (6) 18 Naughty cadet took part in

play (5) 20 Jokes about northern

mobs (5) 21 Thin strand in kiwi’s

plumage (4)

COFFEE TIME

ACROSS 1 Left-winger (9) 6 Bench in a church (3) 8 Excludes (5) 9 Maybe (7) 10 Apex (8) 11 Eastern guru (4) 13 Cogitating (6) 14 Adoring (6) 17 Incite (4) 19 Ceding (8) 22 Insect mound (3-4) 23 Locomotive (5) 24 Bring to a close (3) 25 Ineffective (9) DOWN 1 Dig (out) (5) 2 Customers (7) 3 Declines to vote (8) 4 Drives (6) 5 Change direction (4) 6 Keyboard instrument (5) 7 Bathing (7) 12 Survey taker (8) 13 Mogul (7) 15 Ape (7) 16 Bed cushion (6) 18 Feigned (5) 20 Bands of criminals (5) 21 Thin strand (4) PREVIOUS SOLUTION

Across: 1 Temperament; 9 Use (Yews); 10 Intimates; 11 Literate; 12 Epee; 14 Cerise; 16 Re-edit; 18 Tale; 19 Demerara; 22 Operation; 23 All; 24 Merchan(t) dise.

Down: 2 Event; 3 Primrose; 4 Rotate; 5 Memo; 6 Notepad; 7 Duplication; 8 Essentially; 13 Demeaned; 15 Relieve (leave); 17 Retina; 20 Amass; 21 Laic.