Compact crossword - The Scotsman 28/01/15

Thursday’s puzzle....

ACROSS

7 A country bumpkin (4)

8 A written defence (8)

9 Acknowledge (5)

10 Strengthen (7)

12 A short, straight punch (3)

13 Valued highly (9)

16 Attacker (9)

17 Excellent (coll) (3)

19 Worry (over) (7)

21 A Greek island (5)

23 The birds of a region (8)

24 Of sound mind (4)

DOWN

1 A winch (8)

2 Flock of geese in flight (5)

3 A small flatfish (3)

4 Staggering (9)

5 Perplex (7)

6 Intelligent (4)

11 Relaxes (coll) (6,3)

14 Demanding (8)

15 Enlarge (7)

18 Gambol (5)

20 Hand over (4)

22 Place for research (abbrev) (3)

Wednesday’s solution

Grid D

Across: 1 Face to face, 7 St Asaph, 8 Larch, 10 Earl, 11 St Davids, 13 Bangor, 15 Waffle, 17 Inwardly, 18 Wadi, 21 Ghost, 22 Swansea, 23 Step by step.

Down: 1 Flair, 2 Coax, 3 Tahiti, 4 Fall away, 5 Cardiff, 6 Assembling, 9 Hysterical, 12 Doorstop, 14 Newport, 16 Glossy, 19 Aesop, 20 Wait.