Solving time: 8 minutes
I found this quite straightforward. 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]. I usually omit all reference to positional indicators unless there is a specific point that requires clarification.
 Across |
|
| 1 | Rough diamonds in Parisian street (4) |
| RUDE | |
| D (diamonds) contained by [in] RUE (Parisian street) | |
| 3 | Standard fit for moral tale (7) |
| PARABLE | |
| PAR (standard), ABLE (fit) | |
| 8 | Insect eggs land oddly when thrown (5-4-4) |
| DADDY-LONG-LEGS | |
| Anagram [thrown] of EGGS LAND ODDLY. In the UK this is another name for the crane fly. | |
| 9 | Japanese band seen in Bielsko-Biala (3) |
| OBI | |
| Hidden [seen] in {Bielsk}O-BI{ala} | |
| 10 | Top story in America? (5) |
| ATTIC | |
| A straight definition relying for a cryptic element on ‘story’ being the American spelling of ‘storey’, the more usual British spelling. | |
| 12 | Unbeliever witnessing bank job? (7) |
| ATHEIST | |
| AT HEIST (witnessing bank job). Or one could be carrying it out! The same device was used in a clue to ATHEIST in last Friday’s 15×15. | |
| 14 | Slender urchin’s first encountered in Euston, straying (7) |
| TENUOUS | |
| U{rchin’s} [first] contained by [encountered in] anagram [straying] of EUSTON | |
| 16 | Reign disrupted in African republic (5) |
| NIGER | |
| Anagram [disrupted] of REIGN | |
| 17 | Fish and chips one decides to start with (3) |
| COD | |
| C{hips} + O{ne} + D{ecides} [to start with] | |
| 20 | Drive to discourage race on M1 (13) |
| DETERMINATION | |
| DETER (discourage), M1, NATION (race) | |
| 21 | Rope and long time needed for descent (7) |
| LINEAGE | |
| LINE (rope), AGE (long time) | |
| 22 | Googly say bowled everyone! (4) |
| BALL | |
| B (bowled), ALL (everyone) | |
| Down |
|
| 1 | Two different pandas? One huge star! (3,5) |
| RED GIANT | |
| RED + GIANT (two different pandas) | |
| 2 | Reactionary person in two parties (4) |
| DODO | |
| DO + DO (two parties) | |
| 3 | Fear of ale that’s not real, might some say? (6) |
| PHOBIA | |
| Sounds like {might some say} “faux” (not real) + “beer” (ale) | |
| 4 | Nothing sinister about this trusted adviser? (5-4,3) |
| RIGHT-HAND MAN | |
| A cryptic hint precedes the main part of the definition. ‘Sinister’ is associated with the left-hand side, especially in heraldry. | |
| 5 | Sheepish sound from Liberal in heavy defeat (8) |
| BLEATING | |
| L (Liberal) contained by [in] BEATING (heavy defeat) | |
| 6 | Enjoyment found in cathouse as ever (4) |
| EASE | |
| Hidden [found] in {cathous}E AS E{ver} | |
| 7 | Power in hooch in yard possibly causing neurosis (12) |
| HYPOCHONDRIA | |
| P (power) contained by anagram [possibly] of HOOCH IN YARD | |
| 11 | Barrel with good gun metal (8) |
| TUNGSTEN | |
| TUN (barrel), G (good), STEN (gun) | |
| 13 | Winding tramline comes to depot (8) |
| TERMINAL | |
| Anagram [winding] of TRAMLINE | |
| 15 | Gutless swine about to plagiarise writer (6) |
| SCRIBE | |
| S{win}E [gutless] containing [about] CRIB (plagiarise) | |
| 18 | Hero unemployed reportedly (4) |
| IDOL | |
| Sounds like [reportedly] “idle” (unemployed) | |
| 19 | Prima donna keen to make comeback (4) |
| DIVA | |
| AVID (keen) reversed [to make comeback] | |
Didn’t get the chance to start this one during the day, so I had to wait until I got home from work in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
I very much enjoyed this pre-bed QC. 20a held me up for a long time, but once it went in I was able to answer my last one, 18d.
Took about half hour I think.
Candy before bed? Oh go on then! 🤣