1-across – Back side : NAPE

3-across – Obvious; perceptible : PALPABLE

9-across – Dutch Post-impressionist painter noted for his use of colour : VANGOGH

10-across – Classical Peloponnese city, once the greatest in Greece : ARGOS

11-across – Contest in which intelligence rather than violence is used : BATTLEOFWITS

13-across – Hesitant; not certain : UNSURE

15-across – Heavy, starchy and hard to digest : STODGY

17-across – To and fro : BACKANDFORTH

20-across – Kick out, expel : EVICT

21-across – Requiring free oxygen for respiration : AEROBIC

22-across – O! I’m sharp : APHORISM

23-across – Image, often carved, worshipped as a god : IDOL

1-down – Colour traditionally worn by officers at sea : NAVYBLUE

2-down – Burgundy grape of several varieties : PINOT

4-down – Israeli port, one of the five major Philistine cities : ASHDOD

5-down – Take foolish risks : PLAYWITHFIRE

6-down – Intolerant; racially or religiously biased : BIGOTED

7-down – Move quietly: leisure : EASE

8-down – One self-propelled on several wheels : ROLLERSKATER

12-down – Fabulous, fictitious or idealised, as in a reference to the past : MYTHICAL

14-down – Code of law derived from the Qu’ran and Mohammed’s teachings : SHARIAH

16-down – Historical records : ANNALS

18-down – Affected by hydrophobia : RABID

19-down – Sacred Hindu writings : VEDA

1-across – Richard Hannay novel : GREENMANTLE

9-across – Vigilant, always watchful : LIDLESS

10-across – Russian country villa, maybe in the 20 : DACHA

11-across – Directs one’s attention on something: tiny openings in the skin : PORES

12-across – Beach area of Rio de Janeiro : IPANEMA

13-across – Swimming, floating : NATANT

15-across – Zig-zag on skis : SLALOM

18-across – Composer of the opera The Barber of Seville : ROSSINI

20-across – Russian mountains separating Europe from Asia : URALS

22-across – Parts of speech – proper, collective, verbal, etc : NOUNS

23-across – Fear-led : FEDERAL

24-across – Training technique, acting out a particular part : ROLEPLAYING

2-down – In geometry, a problem based on a theorem : RIDER

3-down – American writer and leading exponent of transcendentalism : EMERSON

4-down – In golf, the historic predecessor of a five iron : MASHIE

5-down – —– Comaneci, Romanian-born gymnast : NADIA

6-down – Milk-like, milky : LACTEAL

7-down – Fetter expediently : CLAPINIRONS

8-down – Mixture of spices – coriander, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, chillies, etc – used in Indian dishes : GARAMMASALA

14-down – Roman battle formation with shields linked as one : TESTUDO

16-down – Washing of clothes : LAUNDRY

17-down – Alexandre Gustave ——, French engineer : EIFFEL

19-down – Edition: give out : ISSUE

21-down – Fringe stage : APRON

1-across – Plant lice : APHIDS

4-across – Bactrian, for one? : CAMEL

8-across – Vernal geophysical phenomenon : SPRINGEQUINOX

9-across – French Pyrenean resort, capital of old Bearn : PAU

10-across – Polygons with nine angles : ENNEAGONS

12-across – Set off; take the plunge : GETCRACKING

14-across – Large loose top : SLOPPYJOE

15-across – Peculiar; irregular : ODD

17-across – Equestrian competition of show jumping, dressage and cross country : THREEDAYEVENT

19-across – Uncredited actor : EXTRA

20-across – Lack of interest; torpor : APATHY

1-down – Legendary fabler : AESOP

2-down – Agatha Christie’s Belgian detective : HERCULEPOIROT

3-down – Conical headgear of the not too intelligent : DUNCESCAP

4-down – French vineyard’s level of wine quality : CRU

5-down – Seasonal tropical woodland : MONSOONFOREST

6-down – Exalts : LAXEST

7-down – Victor Hugo’s protagonist in Les Miserables : JEANVALJEAN

11-down – Of mud, for example, too deep for ordinary shoes : ANKLEDEEP

13-down – African fly associated with sleeping sickness : TSETSE

16-down – Jaunty tune : DITTY

18-down – Geological subdivision of time : ERA

1-across – Experience which inflates a person’s self-importance : EGOTRIP

5-across – Glaze; jellied garnish : ASPIC

8-across – Saigon, as was : HOCHIMINHCITY

9-across – Solution of sugars, salts and minerals in plants : SAP

10-across – Permanently-installed bathroom sink : WASHBASIN

12-across – Diminutive : PETITE

13-across – Open to, or concerning, the people as a whole : PUBLIC

15-across – Caver hero : OVERREACH

16-across – Grazing area, meadow : LEA

18-across – Indulgent fantasy : FLIGHTOFFANCY

20-across – Auguste —– sculptor of The Kiss and The Thinker : RODIN

21-across – Holds back; restrains : RESISTS

1-down – Cultural values of a person or group : ETHOS

2-down – Engross; obsess : OCCUPYTHEMIND

3-down – Precipitation product : RAINWATER

4-down – Religious teacher, ‘elder’ in New Testament Greek : PRIEST

5-down – Shade of blonde : ASH

6-down – Horizontal markings on ships used as a guide to displacement levels when loading : PLIMSOLLLINES

7-down – Of the practice of preserving human corpses by deep-freezing : CRYONIC

11-down – Rebuffs; acts of ignoring : BRUSHOFFS

12-down – Propose; present for acceptance or rejection : PROFFER

14-down – Derive or receive pleasure from; have a taste of something : SAVOUR

17-down – Vast, extremely deep chasm : ABYSS

19-down – Barbarous invader and pillager of the early Middle Ages : HUN

1-across – Time after sunset when it’s neither light nor dark : DUSK

3-across – Stocky; compact : THICKSET

9-across – Grapple: engage in deep thought : WRESTLE

10-across – Thin diaphanous fabric of wool, cotton or silk : VOILE

11-across – No longer one’s responsibility : OFFONESHANDS

14-across – Goal: finality : END

16-across – Small unit of imperial weight : OUNCE

17-across – Historical period; chapter in history : ERA

18-across – Any of 32 directional marks seen on a traditional mariner’s dial : COMPASSPOINT

21-across – Kindly endorsement and guidance : AEGIS

22-across – Fresh soft cheese of France : FROMAGE

23-across – Fashionable; modern : UPTODATE

24-across – River of northern England : TEES

1-down – Index, an indicator of stock market prices : DOWJONES

2-down – Bundle; truss : SHEAF

4-down – Colouring; tone : HUE

5-down – Buyer’s responsibility : CAVEATEMPTOR

6-down – Stick or pin used to twist the yarn in spinning : SPINDLE

7-down – Sentimentally sweet : TWEE

8-down – Confront; pit against : STANDOPPOSED

12-down – Cranial cavity linked to the nose : SINUS

13-down – Stronghold; citadel : FASTNESS

15-down – Hurt dog : DROUGHT

19-down – Effigy; simulacrum : IMAGE

20-down – Capital of Azerbaijan : BAKU

22-down – Hale; in rude health : FIT