CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

7 In a muddle, agent gets confused crossing lake (6) 8 Rudolph extremely at home with bone from endangered animals (6)

9 Scarlet women with repressed anger are blood-suckers (8)

10 Cover circular pool (4) 11 Permit for passing through and round

Sweden (4)

12 Some quadruped I greet, as

thoroughbred (8)

14 Brings up, runs true to form (8)

16 When a Mexican grabs celebrity (4)

18 Charity hymns with no footnote (4)

20 One gets annoyed during the French

game (8)

22 Stitch certain to grip you French (6)

23 Discovers trainee is making money (6)

DOWN

1 Country besieging a western nation (6) 2 What’s laid by factory is a purple

fruit (8)

3 Deviate to see topless first lady and

queen (4)

4 Campaigns scared us badly (8)

5 Female soldier left after Rex (4)

6 Old one developing into pasta! (6)

12 Everyone within made paler

comparison (8)

13 Ways of taking a punt in Venice? (8) 15 Top mark in German? (6)

17 Face admitting something wicked

when pondering (6)

19 Small dessert of potato (4)

21 Sect axed about fifty (4)