This was a somewhat odd concoction. Heavy on the double definitions and with quite a few clunky parsings. Can’t say I found it easy at 11 minutes.
| Across | |
| 1 | Packed, to be on the safe side (2,4) |
| IN CASE – double definition | |
| 4 | Charm of mummy’s bed (6) |
| MASCOT – MA’S + COT | |
| 8 | Maybe phrase looks wrong on page (7) |
| PERHAPS – anagram (‘looks wrong’) of PHRASE added to P for page | |
| 10 | Communist rejected by town (5) |
| DERBY – RED backwards + BY | |
| 11 | Leading, and winning by this margin? (5) |
| AHEAD – A horse can win a race by a head. | |
| 12 | Meat cooking in ovens (7) |
| VENISON – anagram (‘cooking’) of IN OVENS | |
| 13 | Tomb’s dreadful curse — help! (9) |
| SEPULCHRE – anagram (‘dreadful’) of CURSE HELP | |
| 17 | Pressure by chief barrister presenting case (7) |
| PLEADER – P + LEADER | |
| 19 | Stop running and stand in the market (5) |
| STALL – double definition | |
| 20 | Opens mouth, but runs out of fruit (5) |
| GAPES – G[r]APES | |
| 21 | A bit depressed, having inflammation (7) |
| WHITLOW – WHIT + LOW. A fingertip infection usually caused by Herpes Simplex I | |
| 22 | Large fish seen in Gibraltar pond (6) |
| TARPON – hidden word GibralTAR PONd | |
| 23 | Not so bad, I’ll wager (6) |
| BETTER – double definition | |
| Down | |
| 1 | Given a role, still on the field (2,4) |
| IN PLAY – double definition | |
| 2 | Cleaner, one in tears after reprimands (6,7) |
| CARPET SWEEPER – CARPETS (reprimands) + WEEPER | |
| 3 | Such a comic not suitable for sitcom? (5-2) |
| STAND-UP – Not sure how to describe this. A weak pun. | |
| 5 | University opens a study for poet (5) |
| AUDEN – A DEN with U inside | |
| 6 | Dancers lie at first in bed, pectorals rippling (5,2,6) |
| CORPS DE BALLET – anagram (‘rippling’) of BED PECTORALS with L inside | |
| 7 | Judging is exasperating (6) |
| TRYING – double definition | |
| 9 | Son has a nasty argument: he may be suited here (6,3) |
| SAVILE ROW – S + A VILE ROW. Street in London famed for its tailors | |
| 14 | Hotel is extraordinarily unfriendly (7) |
| HOSTILE – anagram (‘extraordinarily’) of HOTEL IS | |
| 15 | Bung soldier up into position (6) |
| SPIGOT – GI backwards inserted into SPOT | |
| 16 | Blossom beginning to fall down (6) |
| FLOWER – F + LOWER | |
| 18 | Party food is cold? Not entirely (5) |
| DISCO – hidden word: fooD IS COld | |
FOI 1a
LOI 17a
COD 13a
Blue Stocking