QUICK

ACROSS

1 Drawback (12)

7 Stratum (5)

8 Rule (5)

9 Uneven (3) 10 Prerogative (9)

11 Verse (6)

12 Trade (6) 15 Conjecture (9)

17 Little devil (3) 18 Respond (5)

19 Bit (5)

21 Loss of speed (12)

DOWN

1 Agitation (12)

2 Arid (3)

3 Fearful (6)

4 Put an end to (9)

5 Conduct (5) 6 Break (12)

7 Shelf (5)

10 Spin on tiptoe (9)

13 Hackneyed (5)

14 Specimen (6)

16 Avoid (5)

20 Age (3)

Yesterday’s solutions:

Across: 4 Rivalry. 8 Repute. 9 Sparing. 10 Cringe. 11 Defile. 12 Probable. 18 Retrieve. 20 Aplomb. 21 Blithe. 22 Restore. 23 Height. 24 Retract.

Down: 1 Precept. 2 Apricot. 3 Stigma. 5 Impudent. 6 Adrift. 7 Rankle. 13 Barbaric. 14 Vertigo. 15 Beneath. 16 Apiece. 17 Roster. 19 Relief.