Compact crossword
ACROSS
1 Encourages (8)
5 A wag (4)
9 A computer language (5)
10 Cheering (for) (7)
11 Don't go too fast (4,4,4)
13 Quake (6)
14 Singer (6)
17 Unrestrained (3,2,7)
20 Valuable trophy (4,3)
21 Draw together (5)
22 Authentic (4)
23 Futile (8)
DOWN
1 Premier side (abbrev) (4)
2 Soften (7)
3 Where to pay for admission (6,6)
4 Bigoted (6)
6 Defence plea (5)
7 Poor quality verse (8)
8 Filled with fear (6-6)
12 More powerful (8)
15 Sedative (7)
16 Join together (6)
18 City in Oklahoma (5)
19 Low islands (4)
Wednesday's solution
Across: 1 Repurchase, 7 Governor, 8 Help, 9 Strip, 10 Iceberg, 12 Reimbursement, 15 Land-tax, 17 Snake, 20 Anna, 21 Operator, 22 Penny-piece.
Down: 1 Roost, 2 Premium, 3 Rand, 4 Hard cash, 5 Sahib, 6 Florin, 11 Ducatoon, 13 Elaine, 14 Mintage, 16 Drake, 18 Krone, 19 Weep.