Hello everyone. I didn’t run into any speed bumps with this one and enjoyed the ride. Hoping that my journey later to a secret exotic location is half as smooth. Thanks Alex!
Definitions are underlined in the clues below. In the explanations, I generally italicise indicators unless it seems clearer not to. Where the removed letter is specified, [deletions] are in square brackets, and I’ve capitalised and emboldened letters which appear in the ANSWER. I sometimes omit link words and juxtaposition indicators if it doesn’t feel necessary to explain them. If you have any questions, please ask in the comments section.
| Across | |
| 1a | Confine wild critters (8) |
| RESTRICT — An anagram of (wild) CRITTERS | |
| 5a | Heads of animal liberation seem outraged further (4) |
| ALSO — The first letters of (heads of) Animal Liberation Seem Outraged | |
| 8a | William’s financial statements (5) |
| BILLS — Two meanings | |
| 9a | Judge accepting revolutionary help to shine (7) |
| RADIATE — RATE (judge) taking in (accepting) the reversal of (revolutionary) AID (help) | |
| 11a | Nostalgic about car fragrance (11) |
| REMINISCENT — RE (about) + MINI (car) + SCENT (fragrance) | |
| 13a | Weak complaint about the French (6) |
| FEEBLE — BEEF (complaint) backwards (about) + LE (the French) | |
| 14a | Idle people on ignoring the odds become more intense (6) |
| DEEPEN — Even letters only of (… ignoring the odds) iDlE pEoPlE oN | |
| 17a | One is unable to enter state for a spell (11) |
| INCANTATION — I (one) + CAN’T (is unable) going into (to enter) NATION (state) | |
| 20a | Home dates changed as an alternative (7) |
| INSTEAD — IN (home) + DATES anagrammed (changed) | |
| 21a | A piano virtuoso is fast (5) |
| APACE — A + P (piano) + ACE (virtuoso) | |
| 22a | Blow something next to eye (4) |
| LASH — A double definition | |
| 23a | Teenager brewed drink (5,3) |
| GREEN TEA — TEENAGER anagrammed (brewed) | |
| Down | |
| 1d | Right medal for dress (4) |
| ROBE — R (right) + OBE (medal) | |
| 2d | Regularly supply press with extravagant display (7) |
| SPLURGE — Alternate letters of (regularly) SuPpLy + URGE (press) | |
| 3d | Blame screen distorting image (11) |
| RESEMBLANCE — An anagram of (… distorting) BLAME SCREEN | |
| 4d | Kind about group (6) |
| CARING — CA (circa, about) + RING (group) | |
| 6d | Depart field before victor enters initially (5) |
| LEAVE — LEA (field) before V (victor) and Enters initially | |
| 7d | Suggestion of plain individual (8) |
| OVERTONE — OVERT (plain) + ONE (individual) | |
| 10d | Team’s inside changing for broadcast (11) |
| DISSEMINATE — TEAM’S INSIDE anagrammed (changing) | |
| 12d | Waste material around circuit regularly authorised (8) |
| OFFICIAL — OFFAL (waste material) around even letters of (… regularly) cIrCuIt | |
| 15d | Nit-picker holding new medallion (7) |
| PENDANT — PEDANT (nit-picker) holding N (new) | |
| 16d | Look good with former queen (6) |
| GANDER — G (good) + AND (with) + ER (former queen) | |
| 18d | Firm starts to slash their sale prices (5) |
| COSTS — CO (firm) + initial letters of (starts to) Slash Their Sale | |
| 19d | Finally perturb the perfect ultra Greek character (4) |
| BETA — Last letters of (finally) perturB thE perfecT ultrA | |
Total humiliation on 15 x 15. 1.5 hours and failed by 2, the easiest clues on the entire grid. My inability to see the blindingly obvious shows no sign of abating.
I don’t know why I keep banging my head against this brick wall. Improvement just won’t happen for me. I haven’t looked at Snitch but I bet it was in the very easy category.
I don’t see how you could possibly describe 14d as one if the easiest clues on the 15×15 grid, so if you got that one you are a much better solver than you think.
Thanks Invariant. Yes, I did get that one but only because I knew the word. There was no cryptic-related skill involved.