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Puzzle 3 by Poins
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Poins's third puzzle is a straight cryptic, which bears his trademark of writing clues that make extremely good sense as English sentences. Some of them conjure up very amusing images while avoiding superfluity and being fair to the solver. I particularly liked 7 down in this respect, although 21 across has to be my favourite.

Poins3.jpg

ACROSS
1 Made changes after pirate left with second prize (6,5)
7 It illustrates a moral point when Norm visits backward island (7)
8 Herb tours America in a banger (7)
10 Girl is close to a league record (5)
11 Ampleforth's Head volunteers to take a look immediately (2,1,6)
12 Narrow boundary set by newspaper boss (7)
14 TV producer rang new woman (7)
16 Sing about English plant (7)
18 Each time Dale managed to be shot (3,4)
19 What 24's do for those who report the misdeeds of others (9)
21 Supports son with money (5)
22 Mysterious tale set in this city (7)
23 Author to regret keeping broken dish (7)
24 Scotland's foremost Conservative to utter 'Queen Elizabeth is a liar' (5-6)

DOWN
1 Circus performer and star turn admits working at General Motors before the 1st of November (9)
2 Able to remove student's tag (5)
3 Green mare led around (7)
4 Essential article on Godolphin's top horse (7)
5 Morecambe and Wise for example are paired to produce an effect (6,3)
6 Gain knowledge from Lear? Nonsense (5)
7 Gay prelates assembled by the entrance to heaven (6,5)
9 Man perhaps after gemstone from Ireland (7,4)
13 Score before the first wide ball with 3 sixes and a four (6-3)
15 A kiss received by Hero's lover from this man (9)
17 Doctor Grey packing everything for a long passage (7)
18 Film studio boss finally supports the Spanish actor (7)
20 Charges for boys carrying nothing (5)
21 This fellow graduates at Illinois (5)

Solution to Puzzle 3 by Poins