CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

Across

1. In favour of seeing measures taken beforehand (9)

5. Betel leaf used with such pipes? (3) 7. Where the skaters don't begin to knock it back (4)

8. It engages chain of corks : pet arranges it (8)

10. Tree lays it out to or from the orient (8) 11. About fifty fish in a lump of earth (4) 13. Sit back to use a sort of disposable handkerchief (6)

15. One mailing a playbill, say (6)

18. Take this shellfish up and be quiet (4) 19. Where there may be reading in store for one (8)

22. Finish the journal with a leaf from a book (8)

23. Die shape multiplied by itself twice (4) 24. A light touch of malarial fever in India (3)

25. Mediate in order to enter dice like this (9)

Down

1. Couldn't be better than tense (7) 2. The avifauna is no different around end of year (5)

3. Get one pinned to one tree by mistake (6)

4. With both hands up nobody fails to finish (4)

5. Fish permitted with a drop-scone (7) 6. Famed refusal timed as I'm leaving (5) 9. Even used part of it when Aphrodite was in Rome (5)

12. A factory that shifts gradually out of position (5)

14. A sort of comedian with a broken date (5-2)

16. The French might peter out when full (7)

17. The instant measure of turning effect (6) 18. Fasten rope to it with tackle king neglected (5)

20. Provide accommodation for a legislative body (5)

21. Monkey with a name adopted by H H Munro (4)