CRYPTIC CLUES

ACROSS 3 They sound dull, but are hardly without impact (5) 8 An officer gets to see us sharpen up (5) 10 Extract of sweet herbs with characteristic odour (5) 11 He or she is

always ready (3) 12 Character of the

wild coast (5) 13 When discarded, died out (7) 15 Out-of-the-way area used for contests (5) 18 Backing out of rehearsals is wrong for him (3) 19 When the odds are not level, it’s rough! (6) 21 An unoriginal arrangement for the printer (7) 22 I leave the air terminal with a Russian (4) 23 If chewed, sole can taste very astringent! (4) 24 Marginal

discounts? (7) 26 Something pointed it’s possible to read about a horse (6) 29 Our chap in Panama is evidently backward (3) 31 White, like a

layer of eggs (5) 32 At the front, in disarray, we get attacked (4,3) 34 Wrote a number

for a boy (5) 35 It’s pulled on

(3) 36 We’re wrong about a certain point, so start again (5) 37 Only a companion, yet apt to be aggressive (5) 38 Shoot out of

sight (5) DOWN 1 Plant the thing and make yourself scarce (3,2) 2 His stuff is nourishing, but expensive in France (7) 4 When there’s a house to do up, you need cover (4) 5 To do so, the bottle is suitably canted (6) 6 Look to fiddle

the rates (5) 7 Does it look about half an inch on the map? (5) 9 Short listed Siamese, say (3) 12 As a part-time soldier, be wrong in rank (7) 14 The chap on piano was “with it” (3) 16 They can

shatter lives (5) 17 Heat you don’t

want to feel (5) 19 Wild enough to daunt me? (7) 20 Girl from

Colindale (5) 21 Bit of a ruffian,

we hear (5) 23 Arrange tunes to broadcast (4,3) 24 Some men, possibly worn out, get fame (6) 25 Treat hide by

beating? (3) 27 The boaster’s

bloomer (5) 28 One’s personal

inheritance (5) 30 Power of the

police? (5) 32 Seem sad, having very little cash (4) 33 Plump for something schmaltzy! (3)