WEE THINKER

Across

5 Bores about dresses (5) 8 Typify time I pose

conundrum (9) 9 Poison involved in scare

(7) 10 Gas round the region

(5) 11 Fellow takes Frenchman to be Victor (5) Resident, as it happens, at home (4-2) Dreads wild snakes (6) Infatuated with spots (5) Musical about Switzerland is Spanish success initially (5) I am ethical, or the opposite (7) She reread composition and practised (9) Nonsense meat (5) 13 16 18 20 22 24 25

Down

1 About to get equal chance for revenge (7) 2 Medical help is adrift, sadly (5,3) 3 Continue as a henchman (4) 4 Calf is mad about money (6) 5 Determined to have done this puzzle again! (8) 6 Rib broken by old writer

(4) 7 Steel manufactured in

bad conditions (5) 12 Force reporters to river

(8)

Across 3 Capture (5) 8 At a lower level than (5) 10 Major artery (5) 11 Pinch (3) 12 Swoon (5) 13 Temporary, provisional (7) 15 Tree type (5) 18 Amusement (3) 19 Military greeting (6) 21 Underground cell (7) 22 Spool (4) 23 Part of the foot (4) 24 Sport (7) 26 People who put money away (6) 29 Fish (3) 31 Topic (5) 14 Allure of money accrued (8) 15 Idly see recipe? Not with these

in use! (7) 17 Insult of little consequence (6) 19 Ideal group to play an

eightsome reel? (5) 21 Bend new tie around case (4) 23 Made out to be something

alcoholic (4) 32 Hidden, secret (7) 34 Poorly (5) 35 Rowing blade (3) 36 Military trainee (5) 37 Stoppers (5) 38 Sleeps, relaxes (5)

Down 1 Small coin (5) 2 Optimistic (7) 4 First man (4) 5 High-kicking dance (6) 6 Chambermaid’s workplace (5) 7 Small Eurasian mammal (5) 9 Illuminated (3) 12 Hand digits (7) 14 Manage (3) 16 Continental quilt (5) 17 Respond (5) 19 Magic (7) 20 Frozen dew (5) 21 Search or rummage (5) 23 Assist (4,3) 24 Invent (6) 25 Lock opener (3) 27 In front (5) 28 Cinder (5) 30 Mournful song (5) 32 Coagulate (4) 33 Shade of brown (3)