7 Information upon which Mrs Peron follows convention (6)
8 Declares love and grieves (6)
9 Men essentially clash – at odds, the last of many to notice (4)
10 Press argument to turn back aid (3,5)
11 He explored more humid environs of India at first (7)
13 Letters are returned from hated accountancy student (5)
15 Laugh having given up drugs and beat it (5)
17 Asian sniper, a freak (7)
20 State question about girl’s clothing in old song? (8)
21 Flower of Florence completely rebounded on painter (4)
22 Hammer a number supporting OT kingdom (6)
23 Ace nun’s dubious subtlety (6)
Cryptic down
1 Bar Moses came across with Liverpool fans on seat with no arms (3,3)
2 Three-quarter length jeans go by the yard for tax… (4)
3 …about what, met tax collector (7)
4 Force one in debt to get somewhere near Swansea (5)
5 Ancestors of the gods exist embodied in Himalayan folk (8)
6 Jew’s house on the borders of Trieste (6)
12 A hash pro made meeting heads of state (8)
14 Oriental bird’s with number locked up in Georgia hell (7)
16 Mediterranean islander’s about to continue island hopping (6)
18 It has healing qualities like Schwarzenegger, almost, when with California (6)
19 Frenchman makes girl food from heaven (5)
21 Cleaner type of hero at Troy? (4)
Quick across
7 Citizen of a former Soviet republic, capital Astana (6)
8 Name for old England or Britain (6)
9 Pre-Columbian power in Central America (4)
10 Jewish festival celebrating the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt (8)
11 Desert-like (7)
13 Six Day War location (5)
15 Of the West Indies’ indigenous people (5)
17 Legendary bird that periodically burned itself to emerge from the ashes and live once more (7)
20 Apostle, chosen by lot after the Ascension (8)
21 Bantu-speaking Natal native (4)
22 Portuguese 15th-16th century explorer (2,4)
23 Compliance (6)
Quick down
1 Esoteric theosophy of rabbinical origin based on the Hebrew scriptures (variant spelling) (6)
2 Site of Jesus’ first miracle (4)
3 Secretary to Josiah to whom Hilkiah gave the newly-found Book of the Law (7)
4 Official language of Iran, the modern Persian (5)
5 Member of a group of Jews who during the early history of the Christian Church accepted Jesus as the Messiah (8)
6 Medieval Italian city north of Maranello, the home of Ferrari (6)
12 Short simple vocal pieces of classical music (8)
14 Egyptian pharaoh, c 945-924 BC (7)
16 Significant OT peak, the tallest in modern-day Turkey (6)
18 Christmas or Easter, for instance (6)
19 Long-necked instrument with movable frets (5)
21 Kick; energy (4)
Areas of Catholic Herald business are still recovering post-pandemic.
However, we are reaching out to the Catholic community and readership, that has been so loyal to the Catholic Herald. Please join us on our 135 year mission by supporting us.
We are raising £250,000 to safeguard the Herald as a world-leading voice in Catholic journalism and teaching.
We have been a bold and influential voice in the church since 1888, standing up for traditional Catholic culture and values. Please consider donating.