Author name: crosswordanswers

1-across – Allusive criticism deemed to be apposite : IFTHECAPFITS

9-across – Stupid : IDIOTIC

10-across – Title holder? : OWNER

11-across – Asian capital on the Red River : HANOI

12-across – Physical record kept of 10 details : LOGBOOK

13-across – Travelling salesman and trader : HAWKER

15-across – Clear fluid portion of blood : PLASMA

18-across – Natural or synthetic fertiliser : NITRATE

20-across – It’s taken by a fielder to dismiss a player in baseball and cricket : CATCH

22-across – Down in the dumps : MOODY

23-across – Go in again : REENTER

24-across – Phrase said in situations that require immediate and/or fast action : NOTIMETOLOSE

2-down – Affect : FEIGN

3-down – Former direct phone line between the White House and the Kremlin : HOTLINE

4-down – Witch’s laugh : CACKLE

5-down – Spur; projecting part : PRONG

6-down – Category of rock, being of solidified molten magma : IGNEOUS

7-down – Create an emotional response : STRIKEACHORD

8-down – Chief assistant; major domo : RIGHTHANDMAN

14-down – Free from: in the absence of : WITHOUT

16-down – Milk-like; pertaining to milk : LACTEAL

17-down – See 1 Across : WEARIT

19-down – Deep cavity : ABYSM

21-down – Certain dance outfits : TUTUS

1-across – Avoid committing oneself; be neutral : SITONTHEFENCE

8-across – Towards the side away from the wind : LEE

9-across – Wow, Mr Lane! : LAWNMOWER

10-across – Usain Bolt, for instance : SPRINTER

11-across – Francisco de —- : GOYA

13-across – Beat with a flurry of punches : PUMMEL

14-across – Bela —— : BARTOK

16-across – Employs : USES

17-across – Sporting test of strength : TUGOFWAR

20-across – Sea-front drive : ESPLANADE

21-across – Boy, familiar : LAD

22-across – Texan city: name shared by colleges at Oxford and Cambridge : CORPUSCHRISTI

1-down – Leader of the Jerusalem Church in Acts and Paul’s companion : SILAS

2-down – Death : THEGRIMREAPER

3-down – Not now as was : NOLONGER

4-down – Heavy rope for nautical use : HAWSER

5-down – Be mad or angry : FUME

6-down – Name given to Australia when colonised in 1788; a state since 1901 : NEWSOUTHWALES

7-down – Set aside specifically : EARMARK

12-down – One who disrupts or damages by design : SABOTEUR

13-down – Francis ——- : POULENC

15-down – Of or relating to Jews or their culture or religion : JUDAIC

18-down – Forearm bones: spokes : RADII

19-down – Capital of Azerbaijan : BAKU

1-across – Continental coastline of the Caribbean; popularly, the : SPANISHMAIN

9-across – Baby carrier? : EGG

10-across – Stars of high luminosity : REDGIANTS

11-across – Acme : PINNACLE

12-across – District; locale : AREA

14-across – Diffuse cloud of particles and gas in space : NEBULA

15-across – Speech sounds made with the vocal tract open : VOWELS

17-across – Hardwood found naturally in the Far East : TEAK

18-across – Old-fashioned presser: 22-storey Manhattan building : FLATIRON

20-across – Aggravate : MAKEWORSE

21-across – Flyspeck: period in a web address : DOT

22-across – Begin again : STARTAFRESH

2-down – Sausage and bacon accompaniment to the festive turkey : PIGINABLANKET

3-down – Mr Al Lyon? : NORMALLY

4-down – Burden: pass : SADDLE

5-down – Injure : MAIM

6-down – Scottish islands which include Skye and Mull : INNERHEBRIDES

7-down – Voyeurs : PEEPINGTOMS

8-down – Kill by contract : ASSASSINATE

13-down – Boots and shoes : FOOTWEAR

16-down – Girly part of the Mass? : GLORIA

19-down – Open vessel with a handle and a spout : EWER

1-across – Offspring : ISSUE

4-across – Connection between an electrical device and conductor : EARTH

9-across – Stellar : ASTRAL

10-across – Shun : ESCHEW

11-across – Light metal cooking pot used when camping : BILLYCAN

12-across – Form of betting: carry : TOTE

13-across – Shifts responsibility to someone else : PASSESTHEBUCK

16-across – Tennessee’s 23 flower : IRIS

18-across – Son of Solomon: wine bottle six times larger than normal : REHOBOAM

20-across – Selection : OPTION

21-across – Tenant : LESSEE

22-across – Animal restraint : LEASH

23-across – Declare; affirm : STATE

2-down – Rice and raw fish wrapped in seaweed : SUSHI

3-down – Reverses winding or twisting : UNROLLS

5-down – Surprise up one’s sleeve, from the game of poker : ACEINTHEHOLE

6-down – Attic? : TACIT

7-down – Remote Australian town : ALICESPRINGS

8-down – Caused by putrefaction : SEPTIC

14-down – Sudden : ABRUPT

15-down – Supervise in loco parentis : BABYSIT

17-down – The —–: Tolkien’s hobbit-land : SHIRE

19-down – Proficient : ADEPT

1-across – Legerdemain : SLEIGHTOFHAND

8-across – Opposed to : ANTI

9-across – Lore : LEARNING

10-across – Deign : CONDESCEND

12-across – Weak : FEEBLE

14-across – Omen : AUGURY

15-across – Habitual criminal : RECIDIVIST

19-across – Offhand, careless : CAVALIER

20-across – Style of walking : GAIT

21-across – Adept at gardening : GREENFINGERED

2-down – Capital citizen : LONDONER

3-down – Work by Homer : ILIAD

4-down – The Vatican : HOLYSEE

5-down – Deliver a speech : ORATE

6-down – Cowed : HANGDOG

7-down – Lower class : NONU

11-down – In original condition : PRISTINE

13-down – Bombardment : BARRAGE

14-down – Firedog : ANDIRON

16-down – Principal : CHIEF

17-down – Imprecise : VAGUE

18-down – Animal den : LAIR