13 minutes – so not easy for me – with the left hand side going in a lot faster than the right. LOI 4dn. I enjoyed the short, sharp clues (8ac, 11ac, 20ac and 1dn) the most with COD going to the first.
ACROSS
1. Tamarins, playful creatures not of this world (8)
MARTIANS – anagram (playful) of TAMARINS.
5. Action taken to reverse temper tantrums (4)
STEP – temper tantrums (PETS) reversed.
8. Marijuana shop? (5)
GRASS – double definition – the second as in to tell on someone.
9. Get Democrat locked up (7)
SECURED – get (SECURE), Democrat (D).
11. Occasionally thwart bowler? (3)
HAT – t(H)w(A)r(T).
12. Barrel-maker had to join forces (9)
COOPERATE – barrel-maker (COOPER), had (ATE – I had cereal).
13. A little something singer got teeth into (6)
TITBIT – singer (TIT), got teeth into (BIT).
15. Chap from ancient city demanding immediate attention (6)
URGENT – a chap/gent from the ancient city of Ur would be an (UR GENT).
18. Represent naughty boy’s smile (9)
SYMBOLISE – anagram (naughty) of BOYS SMILE.
19. Jack perhaps leaving daughter an old banger? (3)
CAR – jack the playing card leaving daughter/d (CAR)d.
20. Here’s a gift (7)
PRESENT – double definition.
21. Court welcoming north Italian poet (5)
DANTE – court (DATE) welcoming north (N). I got tied up with court=CT.
22. Some horribly etiolated creature found in mountains? (4)
YETI – some horribl(Y ETI)olated.
23. Music producer is fashionable in red (8)
CLARINET – fashionable (IN) inside red (CLARET).
DOWN
1. Photo of an idiot? (7)
MUGSHOT – the definition is photo=mugshot. A photo can also be a shot and an idiot=mug so a photo of an idiot is (MUG SHOT).
2. Criticise a Society in decline (5)
ROAST – a (A) and society (S) inside decline (ROT).
3. Fussy eater disturbing novices’ rite (11)
INSECTIVORE – anagram (disturbing) of NOVICES RITE. I suppose an animal which eats only insects can be considered fussy. Also – as insects tend to be rather small – one definition of fussy is ‘to be excessively concerned over trifles’.
4. One not turning up to eat? That hurts! (2-4)
NO-SHOW – eat (NOSH), that hurts (OW).
6. Row of houses supplied by foreign caterer (7)
TERRACE – anagram (foreign) of CATERER. This anagram indicator had me completely fooled.
7. Asleep, a dream possesses army chaplain (5)
PADRE – in (possessed by) aslee(P A DRE)am.
10. Supporter of revolutionary ruler imprisoning Her Majesty (11)
CHEERLEADER – revolutionary (CHE – Guevara) and ruler (LEADER) imprisoning (holding) Her Majesty (ER). Ruler=leader didn’t come easily to mind.
14. Storm encountered on way up — a pain (7)
TEMPEST – encountered on way up (TEM), pain (PEST). I think the additional ‘a’ simply makes the clue read better.
16. Agony at first over Royal Marine in shelter (7)
TORMENT – at first over=(O)ver, Royal Marine (RM) all inside shelter (TENT). As we’re so used to over=O, the ‘at first’ held me up.
17. Half of police carrying first gun (6)
PISTOL – half of police (POL) carrying (holding) first (IST – 1st).
18. Sentimental work penned by MI6 man? (5)
SOPPY – work (OP) penned by MI6 man (SPY).
19. Clerical gentleman’s weapon in speech (5)
CANON – homophone (in speech) of weapon – cannon.
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