A rare 6 minute solve for me, including parsing. How did you all do?
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 | Follow some milk carts heading west (5) |
| TRACK – Hidden [some] and reversed [heading west] in {mil}K CART{s} | |
| 7 | One page is fabricated — work of the CIA? (9) |
| ESPIONAGE – Anagram [fabricated] of ONE PAGE IS | |
| 9 | Call up the day before to secure permission (5) |
| EVOKE – EV⁁E (the day before) containing [to secure] OK (permission) | |
| 10 | American entertained by Greek character’s sexy dance (7) |
| LAMBADA – A (American) contained [entertained] by LAMB⁁DA (Greek character) | |
| 11 | Weapon I initially dumped in river (7) |
| TRIDENT – I + D{umped} [initially] contained by [in] TR⁁ENT (river – third longest in the UK) | |
| 12 | Cover up cuts in case of escape (7) |
| ECLIPSE – CLIPS (cuts) contained by [in] E{scap}⁁E [case of…] | |
| 15 | Quietly totting up unnecessary words (7) |
| PADDING – P (quietly), ADDING (totting up) | |
| 18 | Old flame sat out in the open (7) |
| EXPOSED – EX (old flame), POSED (sat) | |
| 20 | Clumsily I arm a US soldier (7) |
| SAMURAI – Anagram [clumsily] of I ARM A US | |
| 22 | An argument about right indicator? (5) |
| ARROW – A (an) ⁁ ROW (argument) containing [about] R (right) | |
| 23 | DIs go in to arrest second nonconformist (9) |
| DISSENTER – DIS ⁁ ENTER (go in) containing [to arrest] S (second). DIs = Detective Inspectors. | |
| 24 | Run-down spot, extremely dodgy (5) |
| SEEDY – SEE (spot), D{odg}Y [extremely] | |
| Down |
|
|---|---|
| 1 | Article on Financial Times robbery (5) |
| THEFT – THE (definite article), FT (Financial Times) | |
| 2 | Struggled in San Diego after surgery (8) |
| AGONISED – Anagram [after surgery] of SAN DIEGO | |
| 3 | Cricketer, one you don’t want to lose? (6) |
| KEEPER – Two meanings. Wicket keeper / a person or thing that is valuable and to be cherished [ODE] | |
| 4 | Field marshal married in capital at end of April (6) |
| ROMMEL – M (married) contained by [in] RO⁁ME (capital), {Apri}L [end of…l | |
| 5 | Cautions against keeping account of heroic deeds (4) |
| SAGA – Hidden in [keeping] {caution}S AGA{inst} | |
| 6 | Very happy after bishop delayed (7) |
| BELATED – B (bishop), ELATED (very happy) | |
| 8 | Noisy presence troubled priest let go (11) |
| POLTERGEIST – Anagram [troubled] of PRIEST LET GO | |
| 13 | Keep substitute under pressure (8) |
| PRESERVE – P (pressure), RESERVE (substitute) | |
| 14 | Mostly impressive poem about singular experience (7) |
| EPISODE – EPI{c} (impressive) [mostly] ⁁ ODE (poem) containing [about] S (singular) | |
| 16 | Republic is against return of old king (6) |
| ISRAEL – IS, then LEAR (old king) reversed [return of…] | |
| 17 | Ship carrying fruit for Britney? (6) |
| SPEARS – S⁁S (ship) containing [carrying] PEAR (fruit). An American singer, apparently. | |
| 19 | Ready for marriage? (5) |
| DOWRY – Cryptic with reference to money brought by a bride to her husband on their marriage | |
| 21 | Reportedly failed to notice fog (4) |
| MIST – Aural wordplay [reportedly]: “missed” (failed to notice) | |
6.16, and to be honest I thought I was going to be quicker than that because most answers went in with minimal hesitation. There was a bit of delay over EPISODE which needed crossers, and at LAMBADA I confused myself by looking for a dance with US in it. Apparently the OMEGUSA hasn’t taken off internationally just yet. Thanks Jack and Pipsqueak.
Apart from TRIDENT all the acrosses went in on a first read, 2:35. I wonder if Ms. Spears knows she has made her way into a Times Quick Crossword?
5:39
Straightforward, although EPISODE needed the checkers.