Two-speed coffeebreak
Two sets of clues – but the answers are the same
CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS
1 Land is small nuisance (5) 5 Leads off to valleys (5) 9 Baby’s drink (3) 10 Old game played by last character (5) 11 High in an attic (5) 12 Frenchman gets old wife to do the lawn (3) 13 Chaps from Armenia (3) 14 Bemused with creature (3) 16 Hardly returning ton (3) 18 Last to finish awful regret (6) 21 Uncovered a painting (4) 23 Turn battle with pressure (4) 26 Composer sounds more correct (6) 29 Drone to exist in England (3) 31 Faced with expert (3) 32 Ruin in Denmark (3) 34 Vermin in crate (3) 36 Quickly take a step (5) 37 Guide bullock (5) 38 Study of cadences (3) 39 Escapes from parasites, say (5) 40 Begin small cake (5)
DOWN
1 School meant to order part of flower (6) 2 European staff (4) 3 Compensated nowadays with note sent (6) 4 Famous book and poem confused (5) 5 Terribly rude about medium object (5) 6 A turn previously (3) 7 Decree on new cotton fabric (4) 8 Furniture item moved east (4) 15 Returning, caught one total art form (5) 17 Alternatively get a paddle (3) 19 One woman’s novel (3) 20 Fewer around animal (3) 22 Roused about employment (3) 24 A drama about some ships (6) 25 Somehow entrap guardian (6) 27 Evaluates council tax (5) 28 Stare wildly at rents (5) 29 Polish enthusiast (4) 30 Language in another sentence (4) 33 Race around tree (4) 35 Devoured less than nine, say (3)
QUICK CLUES ACROSS
1 Madrid’s country (5) 5 Yorkshire area (5) 9 Add up (3) 10 Greek letter (5) 11 In the air (5) 12 Cut grass (3) 13 Males (3) 14 Flightless bird (3) 16 Negative (3) 18 Suffer (6) 21 Naked (4) 23 Contort (4) 26 Author (6) 29 Hive dweller (3) 31 Playing card (3) 32 Spoil (3) 34 Rodent (3) 36 Speedily (5) 37 Navigate (5) 38 Lair (3) 39 Runs away (5) 40 Commence (5)
DOWN
1 Flower part (6) 2 Post (4) 3 Made amends (6) 4 Observed (5) 5 Refuse (5) 6 In the past (3) 7 Turf (4) 8 Chair (4) 15 Organised sound (5) 17 Scull (3) 19 Innovative (3) 20 Female sheep (3) 22 Exploit (3) 24 Fleet (6) 25 Mother or father (6) 27 Assesses (5) 28 Rips (5) 29 Pale brown (4) 30 Gaelic (4) 33 Small maple (4) 35 Consumed (3)