CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

8 Raise endurance, changing direction at first, to enliven (7)

9 Agreement with penultimate element (5)

10 King to score on boat (5)

11 Island created with fresh air (7)

12 Frolic round old root’s lump (12) 7 16 Nearest bar is crazy for puzzles (5-7)

20 Small country hotel’s turning circle (7)

23 Lift old boy onto back of seat (5)

24 Friendly Islands dancing tango (5)

25 Can thwart what may surround the

joint (7)

DOWN

1 Sat up with 1000s for jobs (5)

2 Queen falls in Africa (8)

3 Hidden store ending just for

prestige (6)

4 Ship’s steering gear made from hard

wood (4)

5 Director less polite about old

copper (6)

6 Musical soldiers from America (4)

7 Dry gate turned and turned (7)

13 Brief farewell (3)

14 Managed to back sneak, or one

tells (8)

15 Knack of having two in divided Italy (7)

17 Fair description of a good person (3,3)

18 Insane sort of colour (6)

19 To completely surround coral island (5)

21 Singular liquid fixture (4)

22 Porridge or a toast soldier to start

with? (4)