Double Crossword

Choice of cryptic or quick puzzle, and (just in case you’ve been wracking your brains) yesterday’s solutions.
By The Newsroom
Published 5th Jun 2012, 13:00 BST

Cryptic puzzle

Across

1. They provide the spirit of progress (6,5)

9. I got into bed in an obstinate mood (7)

10. Many rows of birds (5)

11. I go round an Italian city (5)

12. Time of day for smoothing things out (7)

13. A very loud fish creates a disturbance (6)

15. Somehow my rise doesn’t bring happiness (6)

18. One of rank, perhaps (4-3)

20. Declines in standards (5)

22. The way to defeat the East (5)

23. A cross in Italy shows where a composer is buried (7)

24. Gambler’s faux pas? (7,4)

Down

2. Agree to be keen (5)

3. Tour round and round the building (7)

4. It is bound to become a trading record (6)

5. Pawnbroker, relatively speaking (5)

6. My word (7)

7. Yet it might be something in concrete (8,3)

8. An unfair comparison (2,4,2,3)

14. A firmly established sports meeting? (7)

16. Swarms over nests if disturbed (7)

17. Small ruler from Borneo (6)

19. Many remaining split (5)

21. It might be proof of convenient absence (5)

Quick puzzle

Across

1. Epitome (11)

9. Outermost (7)

10. Rascal (5)

11. Incident (5)

12. Hide (7)

13. Interment (6)

15. Feverish (6)

18. Increase (7)

20. Mohammedanism (5)

22. Punctuation mark (5)

23. 8-sided figure (7)

24. Priority (11)

Down

2. Swim (5)

3. Sloth (7)

4. Hellas (6)

5. Imbecile (5)

6. Lack of care (7)

7. Similarity (11)

8. Substitute (11)

14. Diet (7)

16. Letter (7)

17. Blow (6)

19. Rub out (5)

21. Reasoning (5)

Monday’s solutions

CRYPTIC

Across: 1 Serenade; 5 Chic; 9 Mali; 10 Ensemble; 11 Start; 12 Maintop; 13 Bread and water; 18 Crude oil; 19 Alps; 20 Ottoman; 21 Sedan; 22 Tort; 23 Steering. Down: 2 Exactor; 3 Eritrea; 4 Don’t mention it; 6 Habitat; 7 Creeper; 8 Review; 13 Back out; 14 Equator; 15 Dreams; 16 Amateur; 17 Explain.

QUICK

Across: 1 Contempt; 5 Stow; 9 Help; 10 Rearmost; 11 Taboo; 12 Ignoble; 13 Retentiveness; 18 Memorial; 19 Mind; 20 Iterate; 21 Adder; 22 Site; 23 Cynicism. Down: 2 Operate; 3 Top-hole; 4 Precipitately; 6 Trouble; 7 Witness; 8 Fringe; 13 Remains; 14 Tempest; 15 Normal; 16 Nomadic; 17 Sinless.