CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

9 Shopkeeper? Wrong. A garage mechanic (9) 10 Assuming it’s what the green is for (7,2) 12 Tired, drops right off, fast (4) 13 Giving the girl a large book (6) 14 Opening for the Indian man to enter (7) 15 Permission to get an expert (9) 17 Trying to sew with a needle that is, would be! (9) 18 Rushing off, the ingrate! (7) 19 Said to rub out “vehicle” (6) 20 Wrap up the rings and vamoose (4) 23 Mercy, this is a complex subject for schoolchildren! (9) 25 Still awaiting settlement (9) 26 Agree with you it’s pretension (4) 27 While returning nine that broke out, asylum inmates (6) 29 Break that’s knitted back again, afterwards (7) 32 Now apt to get ruffled and take umbrage (2,7) 34 While it’s badly torn in a scuffle (9) 35 Defers, which is nauseating (4,3) 36 Rushed right in, late back (6) 37 It’s in Sicily, but not by return of post! (4) 38 Faced so as to have a view of, one found (6,3) 39 Feeling the chaps captive within had transmitted it (9)

DOWN

1 Become smaller and compact (8) 2 Much better and faster as a door-to-door canvasser (7,5) 3 Impressive when attacking (8) 4 Surly when you specify how you’d like your rolls? (6) 5 The perfect order for dessert (5-3) 6 Displaying a poster of, when one’s supporting? (8,2) 7 Many a time admitted it amuses one (7) 8 Didn’t push the boat out often enough, one gathered (10) 11 The appearance of the said chaps (5) 16 That’s nothing to the equipment in the beginning (6) 19 Be an announcer, for instance (3) 21 In custody all in one cell, didn’t go to pieces (4,8) 22 The same chief for the region (6) 23 How to catch fish by magic? (4,1,5) 24 Not a tough measure to take with a beginner (10) 25 Practise pronouncing the vowels (3) 28 Would it cure you of being too fond of something? (8) 29 In an outburst of anger, lay about the soldier (8) 30 Takes back what one said about parcels (8) 31 Overtaken by emotion again, was not allowed to stay (7) 33 Knock, then I ring, at the back of the house (5) 34 Surmounting the support of carved wood (6)