CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

9 The flat bit on the outside, meant to reshape (9)

10 Went off at the salesman, good and angry (8)

12 Backing a horse in it, I made a profit (4)

13 Inform, giving a few new ideas about (6)

14 Grateful to for having forced one’s hand

(7)

15 Call for help on collapsing in the stand (9) 17 Photographed the children as they argued (4,5)

18 Cavorted while the dancer danced to a piano (7)

20 Nonsense! He’d gone into training and is very keen (3-3)

21 A longing that is hard for one to conceal

(4)

24 Off to a good start, is in a favourable position (4,4)

26 Saved by, you think, the grass all round (8) 28 Phooey! Get back the lead! (4)

29 Help, you idiot - it’s come adrift! (6)

31 Totally lose your composure when they praise you (5,2)

34 Disloyal and an atheist (9)

36 The really good wood, treats differently (5-4)

38 Marked in, within the arranged dates (7) 39 If his slating is awful, the house won’t be so good! (6)

40 Coming from the Greek, it means “courage” (4)

41 An admirer who’s a stalker? (8)

42 A fast warning to get out from under that tree! (9)

DOWN

1 Having recovered lost ground, gets embroiled in (6,2)

2 He’s got the star role in, in the comeback (6) 3 With the last weapon confiscated, inform you (4,4)

4 Won’t work when you try to sound the note (6)

5 Pulled in and stopped (8)

6 As far as “useless and with mischief in mind” (2,2,2,4)

7 Is left in the keeping of the servant and lost (7)

8 Won’t come out in the open and say they’re boundaries? (6)

11 At this point say more about having remained faithful to (7)

16 Fix something to go with the cold meat (6) 19 Say the time has come to use evasive tactics (5)

20 Mr X? (3)

22 Stop to make sure that everything is all right (5)

23 Rid of all that humbug about wine bottle labels? (6)

25 Drank with, as the bird had done in the bird bath (6,4)

26 Up to R for “rubbish” (3)

27 Claim the newspapermen have got hold of (7)

30 Anxious, though at home safe (8)

31 Bearing the charge of conveying (8)

32 Standing to get, is taking a break before starting (8)

33 One slurred the word “hairstyle” (7)

35 Lined up in the air, now, doing manoeuvres (2,1,3)

36 Comparatively impartially (6)

37 Handling well when it’s on a bumpy road (6)