THE ORIGINAL SOUTH AFRICAN CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

World class — and from our perspective, not that of the UK or USA

Multilingual — every crossword has one Afrikaans (marked a) and one isixhosa (marked x) word

Fresh & unique — compiled the previous week especially for the Mail & Guardian

Across

1 I’ve sprites fit to flourish in the

December cheer (7,6)

8 1 is liberated if greeted now and

again (4)

9 Zest like this in name is special

(10)

10 1 comes in small wave, starting with time for right drink (6)

11 Gently laughed when familiar saint of 1 eventually came, embarrassed (8)

12 Source of 1 to many a Boer –

to helper oddly on edge (9) 14a Notice good return of fire of

1 (4)

15 1 can do this from the

Almighty (4)

16 Fun of 1 is vital joy one

spreads (9)

20 Held bag to journalist (8)

21 You enter pub, knocking back

to lift 1 (4,2)

23 Logs and flame create first

braai, eating these in 1 (4,2,4) 24 Present provided to penetrate

disheartened guest (4) 25 Scanned recent developments

for excellence (13)

Down

11 for slack and pardon (7)

2 They were in 12 too — woman

and regular peeps (5)

3x Sweet like crazy and

unexpected, see (7)

4 1 for international relations, I relented at once in excitement (7,8)

5 1 can develop this area in drink

(6)

6 Exalt and he will make wild times

(5,4) 7 They check the cooking, spilling tears in empty threats (7)

13 15 paths wind their way to

wellness retreat (6,3)

15 1 for some is most divine, others lie shot unfortunately (7) 17 Took in one doctor to one

stretcher (7)

18 Start to tuck into chocolate

(7)

19 Wife, very loudly, caught in

his smells (6)

22 Heart, for example, often

played on in 1 (5)