The Times - Cryptic - Times Cryptic 25974 - December 19, 2014

Tired of your current crossword puzzle? Try solving our daily crossword puzzles. GO TO DAILY PUZZLES!
Clues Answers
Battle-toughened and perhaps prepared for shelling HARDBOILED
Break plant container off the wall CRACKPOT
Bring about losing weight for the time of one's life SPAN
Candidate's final, frantic late bid for revision? EDITABLE
College officer finding answer in study DEAN
Copper lines to select for terminations CULL
Delicate nature of head after good French brandy FINENESS
Dish in city known for hard cheese adds revolutionary stuff to mould PAPIERMACHE
Early signs of Greek bank having nothing raised LINEARB
Exceed ripening without end, curiously being still green INEXPERIENCED
Foodstuff with surplus energy and nitrogen GLUTEN
Friend put up with support of university in very satisfactory artificial language VOLAPUK
Harsh criticism is dashed antagonistic when a name's not provided CASTIGATION
I successfully promoted English operatic role ISOLDE
Israelite king taking up religion almost totally AHAB
Clues Answers
Large bird identified by middle section of leg bone EMU
Male donkey provided for group of mounts MASSIF
Mineral? Masses perhaps found on borders of Paraguay PYRITES
Move up in class if in good intake GENTRIFY
Ne plus ultra being far from still undecided? NEUTRAL
Nearly was successful in America after backing extreme lottery RAFFLE
Old army vehicles carrying German master soldiers OTHERRANKS
Perhaps Hudson river bed is very far down ROCKBOTTOM
Promotion coming before excitement PREFERMENT
Run key article for author GOETHE
Runs a fiddle discounting new fare from Italy RAVIOLI
Settling on name outside the family TAKING
Sticks up favourite news item SNIPPET
Tool separating beluga's head from blubber AWL
Visit chain of millions for ordering? One would want something more exclusive FASHIONVICTIM