The Times - Cryptic - Times Cryptic 25648 - December 3, 2013

Tired of your current crossword puzzle? Try solving our daily crossword puzzles. GO TO DAILY PUZZLES!
Clues Answers
After caress, I'm not sure he's a saint PETER
Artist incorporated cereal, which should keep water out RAINCOAT
Backing surrender, king stops plot being embellished BEDECKED
Bats turn up as real, unknown to science SUPERNATURAL
Challenger was one small step closer, almost catching learner SPACESHUTTLE
Characters may be wiped out by this defender's speed BACKSPACE
Contact sport for which war paint could be used? MARTIALART
Discover note on nonsense poet LEARN
Disgraceful maltreatment of nobler Paduan UNPARDONABLE
Form of worship with "anti-Mass" involved? SATANISM
He's ultimately without sense TWIT
How to get dissimilar lines spliced? INTERMARRY
Irritating when I have to clutch an undergarment ABRASIVE
Mangled answer contained in letter in italics? MUTILATED
Clues Answers
Marine mammal's short fur MINK
Mighty stream, or forgotten river TRENT
Month aboard new vessel: nearly everyone going abroad furtively? NOCTURNAL
Moorish place embracing Liberal constitution HEALTH
My performance reaches its peak when I'm on the rebound TRAMPOLINIST
Not many people'd spoken of bitter dispute FEUD
One line secured round mass is incongruous ILLMATCHED
Satisfied with story exorcising a spirit METTLE
Set out place and totter — if climbing too high on this? STEPLADDER
Some of residents put up labourer with no property of his own SERF
Source of narcotics information, extremely unpopular internally DATURA
Store stocking each bed's sides returned its top end HEADBOARD
Treatment involving verse that may be hyperbolic CURVE
Truth at last found in singular quote about moral values ETHICS