Paper.. The BIG Saturday Crossword

Cryptic clues

Across

7. Profit from the journey

back (6) 8. Having the mind fixed

under canvas (6) 10. Presume to the

highest (7) 11. After first-class start was in front, but was ill (5) 12. Cut short the occasion with regularity (4) 13. Characteristic of one

in sour reverse (5) 17. Grown incorrectly (5) 18. Expensive letter

opener (4) 22. About 1000 applaud - it holds things together (5) 23. Excess of strife unfortunately surrounds union leader (7) 24. Plunders for guns (6) 25. Graduate’s backward boy had great strength (6)

Down

1. Do well to get music centre in the right surroundings (7) 2. Brake for the bottle? (7) 3. Short of fibre (5) 4. Oration in Canada (7) 5. Instrument used to give ring to prisoner’s room (5) 6. A den of learning (5) 9. Fatigue raises new problems (9) 14. Support the wrong forecaster (7) 15. Backing requires one to go into it (7) 16. Set of bars that irritate (7) 19. Music for twenty players? (5) 20. Saw if stray children appeared (5) 21. Father goes about again in fear (5)

Down

1. Offhand (7) 2. Mysterious (7) 3. Weird (5) 4. Harmful (7) 5. Unrefined (5) 6. Deputy (5) 9. Aspiring (9) 14. Sanction (7) 15. Aged (7) 16. Rustic (7) 19. Sponge (5) 20. Whet (5) 21. Broom (5)