Time: 13 minutes. A mostly straightforward solve for me although I lost time over 12ac / 12dn. I struggled to find the signature clue today but got there in the end.
As usual definitions are underlined in bold italics, {deletions and substitutions are in curly brackets} and [anagrinds, containment, reversal and other indicators in square ones]. “Aural wordplay” is in quotation marks. I now use a Caret sign ⁁ to indicate an insertion point in containment clues. I usually omit all reference to juxtaposition indicators unless there is a specific point that requires clarification.
 Across |
|
|---|---|
| 1 | Person calling out during court proceedings? (4,5) |
| LINE JUDGE – Cryptic with reference to tennis | |
| 6 | Family member in Secret Intelligence Service (3) |
| SIS – SIS (Secret Intelligence Service) | |
| 8 | From which one may speak or, turning back, play guitar? (7) |
| ROSTRUM – OR (reversed (turning back), STRUM (play guitar) | |
| 9 | Book unfortunately defending introduction of tariffs (5) |
| ATLAS – A⁁LAS (unfortunately) containing [defending] T{ariffs} [introduction of …] | |
| 10 | Unhappy old canoeists set adrift (12) |
| DISCONSOLATE – Anagram [set adrift] of OLD CANOEISTS | |
| 12 | Lengthy rebuke frightened female avoids (6) |
| EARFUL – {f}EARFUL (frightened) [female avoids] | |
| 13 | What might encourage a couple of Romeos to get into bed? (6) |
| CARROT – A + RR (couple of Romeos) contained by [to get into] C⁁OT (bed) | |
| 16 | Area MP represents could become nicest county (12) |
| CONSTITUENCY – Anagram of [could become] NICEST COUNTY | |
| 19 | Some people eat this rubbish (5) |
| TRIPE – Two meanings | |
| 20 | Person coming to check the books, I hear (7) |
| AUDITOR – Two meanings: Collins 1. a person qualified to audit accounts, 2. a person who hears or listens | |
| 22 | Outstanding university in middle of Bordeaux (3) |
| DUE – U (university) contained by [in middle of] {Bor}D⁁E{aux} | |
| 23 | Place that’s safe from horribly scary aunt (9) |
| SANCTUARY – Anagram [horribly] of SCARY AUNT | |
| Down |
|
|---|---|
| 1 | Fat city doctor heading north (4) |
| LARD – LA (city), then DR (doctor) reversed [heading north]. Lard comes from pigs, so this must be today’s signature clue from our porcine setter. | |
| 2 | Increasingly awful wine that geek almost drinks (7) |
| NASTIER – N⁁ER{d} (geek) [almost] contains [drinks] ASTI (wine) | |
| 3 | Open, taking lid off something containing marmalade? (3) |
| JAR – {a}JAR (open) [taking lid off] | |
| 4 | Some deride Mandelson claim (6) |
| DEMAND – Hidden in [some] {deri}DE MAND{elson} | |
| 5 | Complicated tale a bore cooked up (9) |
| ELABORATE – Anagram [cooked up] of TALE A BORE | |
| 6 | Saucy dance? (5) |
| SALSA – Cryptic with reference to the two meanings of the word | |
| 7 | Have a feeling he might be arrested? (7) |
| SUSPECT – Two meanings | |
| 11 | Very many left inspired by noblewoman (9) |
| COUNTLESS – L (left) contained [inspired] by COUNT⁁ESS (noblewoman) | |
| 12 | Hyped-up ex summoned to appear in court (7) |
| EXCITED – EX, CITED (summoned to appear in court) | |
| 14 | A bit of Kashmiri cottage cheese? (7) |
| RICOTTA – Hidden in [a bit of] {Kashmi}RI COTTA{ge} | |
| 15 | Shame about Republican tax (6) |
| STRAIN – ST⁁AIN (shame) containing [about] R (Republican) | |
| 17 | Sound of hooter absorbing one (5) |
| NOISE – NO⁁SE (hooter) containing [absorbing] I (one) | |
| 18 | Heard victim beg (4) |
| PRAY – Aural wordplay [heard]: “prey” (victim) | |
| 21 | I could have one, if not alone (3) |
| DOT – Cryptic. An ‘I’ on its own would usually be a capital letter and therefore not have a dot as in lower case. | |
10.55. I’m disappointed that this took me so long.
06:16. Fairly smooth solve for me too – got held up in the lower half finishing up with EXCITED and EARFUL. Enjoyable whizz though. thanks both!
7:13 for me. I don’t remember any particular holdup, just not all that fast. LOI was STRAIN, I think just because I started solving at the top and that was the last clue I got to.
07:38 for a delightful Bank Holiday treat! The fun but gettable cryptics (1a, 21d) led me to number amongst those anagramming retsina without worrying too much about it. 4d had me laughing out loud!
Thanks to the excellent Oink & Jackkt!
05:47, no problems. Thanks Oink and Jack.