CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

7 Dandy outside old city office (6)

8 Nearly tardy, passing through small country (6)

9 Soil you’d churned in a repulsive way (8)

10 Propensity to be dishonest (4)

11 Skirting around love with relative (4) 12 Fable is concocted about East –

it’s possible (8)

14 Australian city to small degree

surrounded by salt water (8)

16 Levy I put on hired transport (4)

18 Offend, raking in gambler’s first

token (4)

20 It is not on for a sailor to bowl

thus (8)

22 Compliant medic on French

island (6)

23 It’s bliss for quarter in oasis (6)

DOWN

1 Doctor consumed by fish in Arctic

terrain (6)

2 Serve no moussaka portions – it’s

full of poison (8)

3 Faces vessels (4)

4 Young friend to take the role of

ship’s officer? (8)

5 Hits back… bash! (4)

6 Notice a learner indicate (6)

12 Achievements round river are

special attractions (8)

13 Home rental created within a

company (8)

15 Rudolph extremely at home with bone from endangered animals (6)

17 Former king raised by small

Persian king (6)

19 Spike takes head off creature (4)

21 Writer doing all his legwork at the

outset (4)