CRYPTIC CROSSWORD
ACROSS 8 Feast at which the candles won’t stay alight? (7) 9 What the robot’s jumper was made of? (5,4) 13 It’s dawn when you get off (5) 14 Instruct to provide transport (5) 15 It’s shaky and getting a lot more shaky (7) 16 The room, you know, is pine-lined (7) 17 Walk I take through an Italian city (5) 18 The result is, you institute legal proceedings (5) 20 Says sadly and audibly “The proportions!” (5) 22 Three months free (6) 23 See the one left inside is ruined (6) 25 In a great hurry to take refreshment round (7) 27 Call out “Rue goes into the nostrum” (4-3) 30 Take the reins on reaching male adulthood (6) 31 Contrived a tail-wag, which does amuse you (6) 32 Walkabout taken by the father (5) 35 It will quickly tell you if the cooking’s not very good (5) 36 Beginning with one’s offtime (5) 37 The person alluded to as “The arbiter” (7) 39 An undercooked portion of something savoury (7) 41 Check the key in, as a rule (5) 42 A bird and it’s after seed (5) 43 For fun I tease and get terribly irate - make really angry (9) 44 The scoundrel with the collar - the Scotsman (7)
DOWN 1 See the figure in it is slim (6) 2 Changes the locks (8) 3 A predatory air (7,4) 4 Travelling by train, out to catch the one ten, somehow (9) 5 Where, in London, you can get a gun within a day (4,3) 6 Perhaps a caramel tart, darling? (7,3) 7 On that account, see alone (4) 10 Quenches one’s thirst with a lot of water on board (6) 11 Like the hens prepared for deep-frying? (7) 12 Clandestine, it is again revealed in court (6) 19 Allowed to fall ill, one rushed round (7) 21 Rested at long last, one gathered (7) 24 Flattering the person you’ve just been toasting? (9,2) 26 Accurate in regard to the order (5,5) 28 Number one, assess as excellent (5-4) 29 Bound to be a someone I’m not naming (7) 30 Only the silver lining is rather scanty (6) 32 What passengers do in the smoking compartment of the train? (4-4) 33 They happen to get sent off at a quarter to five (6) 34 Suppress it? No, I can’t possibly (7) 38 Given stuff to nibble on, as before (6) 40 A call from the mob? (4)
FRIDAY’S SOLUTION
ACROSS: 1. Chest 6. Right 9. Cruiser 10. Usury 11. V-olta 12. Alien 13. Forward 15. Pod 17. Ones 18. Beg-one 19. Sa-VE-d 20. E-vents 22. Fuji 24. Yet 25. Scalpel 26. H-itch 27. Vixen 28. Birth 29. Recital 30. We-ird 31. Aside DOWN: 2. Heston 3. S-crew-S 4. Try 5. Field 6. R-ever-ed 7. Iron 8. Hat-ton 12. Are-as 13. Fo-Wey 14. Relet 15. Pop up 16. D-evil 18. Beach 19. Stained 21. Venice 22. Flails 23. J-ested 25. Scrip 26. Herr 28. Baa