Compact crossword - The Scotsman 28/01/15
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.