DOUBLE CROSSWORD CRYPTIC

CRYPTIC CLUES: Across 4. Didn’t lack a place to land

the fish (7) 8. Listen somehow to the recruiting officer’s plea? (6) 9. Made a pretence a

reality? (7) 10. Go-ahead newspaper

article? (6) 11. Spares could be few and

far between (6) 12. Almost a hit with the girl

next door (4,4) 18. Belief about men in the

building (8) 20. This clue should be

adequate! (6) 21. I’m given a role to

communicate (6) 22. They tell how actions were

done (7) 23. Descriptive of a man who

can’t settle (6) 24. Soften sausage mash (7)

Down 1. Drop off or refuse to do so

(7) 2. It’s dated even before use

(7) 3. The respect in which going

up meets the point (6) 5. Two fools in murderous

combination (8) 6. Number of towns in

S.africa (6) 7. A mark of credit and

comfort (6) 13. Sacked, no doubt! (2,3,3) 14. Indeed was at length held

up (7) 15. No unwritten law (7) 16. A poem has a point of

positive significance (6) 17. Foreign office desk? (6) 19. Something valuable from

copper mines (6)