The Mercury

DOUBLE CROSSWORD

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CRYPTIC ACROSS

1 Justifiabl­e reasons for entertainm­ent venues (4-7) 9 Produces something imaginativ­e and prepares to go on the stage (5,2)

10 A thicket will hold the vehicle back (5)

11 Temporaril­y stay at the gatehouse (5)

12 Radio aerial for flying concern? (7)

13 It’s virtuous to punish endlessly (6)

15 Pay to become a colonist (6)

18 Main adversary is out of reach (4-3)

20 Behaved in a bovine way – that’s the charge, we hear (5) 22 Kind of room used for entertainm­ent (5)

23 A rule, one hears, to call publicly to account (7) 24 Attending every function no matter what happens (2,3,6)

DOWN

2 Made an applicatio­n for a different desk (5)

3 This sort of ability is worthy of esteem (7)

4 This is arranged after the draw has taken place (6) 5 The colour of a topless figure! (5)

6 Daily Recorder (7)

7 No great cost for an infant being looked after (5,6) 8 Coming to no conclusion (5-6)

14 Old, broken tin-can found round the back of the garage (7)

16 Increase the general disorder (7)

17 Discount to be put back in price (6)

19 Some of the stuff at a lecture is deadly (5)

21 The middle part is lying unused, by the sound of it (5)

QUICK ACROSS

1 Ban (11)

9 Ideal (7) 10 Arrive at (5) 11 Manner (5) 12 Distinctiv­e (7) 13 Stop (6)

15 Get (6) 18 Perceive (7) 20 Recess (5) 22 Boldness (5) 23 Compel (7) 24 Reparation (11)

DOWN

2 Spacious (5) 3 Inheritor (7)

4 Exile (6)

5 Concise (5)

6 Musical instrument (7) 7 Prominent (11)

8 Flirt (11)

14 Hold (7)

16 Do good to (7)

17 Put in (6)

19 Build (5)

21 Freight (5)

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