CRYPTIC CLUES

ACROSS

6 Let inexperienced leader off (5)

7 Minor insult (6)

9 Regalia smashed in African country (7) 10 Measure round West and search for water (5) 11 In part of forest, re-establish plant (4) 13 Tim’s dizzy, encircled by baby bird (6) 15 Provide shelter for going back and forth (3,2) 16 Catches sight of Eastern agents (6)

17 Fifty at one party at bathing beach (4) 20 Goats chewed old robes (5)

22 Knife top of head in front of the Spanish (7) 23 Popular pitch chant? (6)

24 Useful in Bath and York (5)

DOWN

1 Help! Gas! A disaster! Refuse to go here! (4,4) 2 Vessels taking sheep round river (5)

3 Zero mark for film award (5)

4 Breeze to subside during parachute landings (3-4) 5 What’s wrong? Melting process (4) 6 Segregated people way back in flats (10)

8 Yet eat roll from drink carrier (3,7) 12 Transport broken down, virtually (3) 13 Brewing vessel found in the Soviet Union (3) 14 Temperature excellent, almost falling (8) 15 Writes to one on retirement pay (7)

18 Flower festival – opening cancelled (5)

19 Had a chat inside Russian dwelling (5)

21 Band go North of the Border (4)

QUICK CLUES

ACROSS

6 Brutal, heartless (5) 7 Breakfast food (6) 9 Archetypal (7) 10 Jewish leader (5) 11 Twelve midday (4) 13 Athletics event (6) 15 Power cable tower (5) 16 Cause to fall (6)

17 Nil (4)

20 Rapid or rash (5) 22 Ferocious fish (7) 23 Gossip (6) 24 Magic curse (5)

DOWN

1 Big toy ring (4-4) 2 Sound of cymbals (5) 3 Slap (5)

4 Lie of the land (7)

5 Spill the beans (4) 6 Fruit-hitting fairground stall (7,3)

8 To begin with (5,2,3) 12 Stain (cloth) (3) 13 Kennel-dwelling animal (3) 14 Face lotion (8)

15 Man about town (7) 18 Flash of light (5)

19 Icy ground cover (5) 21 Liquid food (4)