Times Quick Cryptic 1791 by Oink

Well, I have to say I made a real pig’s ear of this one and put it down to a bad day at the office. I would be telling porkies if I said I found it easy – at my usual target time, the grid was still littered with unsolved answers. There was a lot of grunt work to grind out some answers (including the two hiddens) and there was a sting in the curly tail when I just couldn’t see loi 22ac until the ‘vacation’ clicked. I, naturally, now expect everyone to say how easy it was. For me it was hats off to Oink who left a calling card at 20dn. 18 (long) minutes it took in the end. COD 7dn.

So let’s chop to the chase and see the answers.

ACROSS

1. No one charged for this public brawl? (4-3-3)
FREE-FOR-ALL – if no one is charged then it’s free for all.
8. A foolish person going round Brazil? (7)
NUTCASE – a nutcase goes round a Brazil nut.
9. One who photographs Her Majesty for The Times perhaps (5)
PAPER – one who photographs (PAP – paparazzi), Her Majesty (ER).
10. Sailor posed outside front of library (4)
SALT – posed (SAT) outside (L)ibrary.
11. Pudding confusion at posh boy’s school (4,4)
ETON MESS – confusion (MESS) at posh boy’s school (ETON). The strawberries I’d have but not the cream or meringue.
13. Maybe mum or dad given monthly payment (6)
PARENT – dad (PA), monthly payment (RENT).
14. Finds time for healthy activity vicar doesn’t like? (4,2)
FITS IN – healthy (FIT), activity vicar doesn’t like (SIN). I couldn’t separated healthy and activity for some time and the definition didn’t seem at all obvious.
17. Revolution helping to protect religious books (8)
ROTATION – helping (RATION) to protect religious books (OT).
19. Raised money for the speaker (4)
BRED – homophonone (for the speaker) of money=bread. I’m at a loss as to why I couldn’t see this for ages. I suspect I was having one of those days.
21. Manage to return, reaching hotel in time (5)
EPOCH – manage – cope – to return (EPOC), hotel (H).
22. Moan about a lady on vacation- something not quite right? (7)
ANOMALY –  anagram (about) of MOAN, a (A), lady on vacation (L)ad(Y) – well, of course it is!
23. Farmers opt mistakenly for unsuitable agricultural terrain (10)
PERMAFROST – anagram (mistakenly) of FARMERS OPT.

DOWN

2. Unnerve Republican who’s got a nasty bite? (7)
RATTLER – unnerve (RATTLE), Republican (R).
3. Departed, heading north with others (2,2)
ET AL – departed – late – heading northe in this down clue (ET AL).
4. Newcomer talks, getting round code of silence (6)
OMERTA – the first two words’ get round’ the answer – nec(OMER TA)lks.
Dnk this but absolutely nothing made any sense at all so I found the hidden in the end – Collins has a conspiracy of silence.
5. Bit at end of book that might be taken out? (8)
APPENDIX – the organ may be removed if you’re unlucky.
6. LSE admitting a professor’s first mistake (5)
LAPSE – LSE (LSE) admitting a (A) (P)rofessor’s
7. Contemporary description of Dec 25th? (7-3).
PRESENT DAY – a rather wonderful double definition which I got from ‘contemporary’ (PRESENT DAY) and wondered if the puzzle was meant to have been published a few weeks ago. Writing up the blog, I relished the full pleasure of the second definition (day on which presents are given – PRESENT DAY). I do feel as if my brain can’t have been on during this solve.
8. Koreans pry awfully – and so do I! (4,6)
NOSY PARKER – anagram (awfully) of KOREANS PRY. Partial &lit where the subject of the definition pries awfully.
12. One grabbing chest ran off (8)
SNATCHER – anagram (off) of CHEST RAN.
15. Almost certain to go top (7)
SURPASS – almost certain (SUR)e, go (PASS).
16. Some tracks on a tape and a work by Mozart? (6)
SONATA – another hidden (some) in track(S ON A TA)pe.
18. Soldiers having miserable time in retreat (5)
TROOP – miserable (POOR) – and time (T) backwards – in retreat.
20. Acorn eater rather a dull chap, I hear (4)
BOAR – homophone (I hear) of dull chap – bore