DOUBLE CROSSWORD

CRYPTIC ACROSS

1 Flat ring used in the laundry (6)

4 Price paid for release of Romans (6)

9 Hyenas on the farm would be something to jeer at! (8-5) 10 Watch the old boy hit the ball first (7)

11 A 15 once more (5)

12 Give firmness to a couple (5)

14 Idiotic content of a letter (5) 18 Moves boulders backwards and forwards (5)

19 Let off the hook – the United Nations hit a snag (7) 21 Open acknowledgement of entry without charge (4,9) 22 Steals hanging tuft (6) 23 Partly enable a guest to form alliance (6)

DOWN

1 Mean to back up the law and roll in the mud (6)

2 Suppress money-grabbing schemes as a game (6,7) 3 Three for anaesthetic (5) 5 Keep away – it’s a ban (7) 6 Take any measure, yet come to a halt for no reason (4,2,7)

7 Graduate and monarch in formation (6)

8 Indignation of a fisherman who loses line (5)

13 In the circumstances, blackguard reaches waterfall (7) 15 In favour of healthy gain (6) 16 Ghost player? (5) 17 Alteration for loose cash (6) 20 Hurry from witch as terrible threats are made (5)

QUICK ACROSS

1 Front view (6) 4 Real (6)

9 Safe (3,2,5,3) 10 Succeed (7) 11 Mistake (5) 12 Tell-tale (5) 14 Postpone (5) 18 Mountain ash (5) 19 Sprinkle (7) 21 Reckless (13) 22 Lose (6)

23 Town road (6)

DOWN

1 Gaiety (6)

2 Take by surprise (5,8) 3 Submit (5)

5 Vie (7)

6 Unjustifiable (13)

7 Strata (6)

8 Squander (5)

13 Loss of memory (7) 15 Platitude (6)

16 Legally prevent (5) 17 Apprehend (6) 20 Valuable possession (5)