Weekend Quick Cryptic 54 - Solution

My fellow TimesforTheTimes contributors Phil Jordan, Sawbill and I are continuing to produce Quick Cryptic crosswords to fill the gap left by the Saturday Times not having one. The plan is for us to take turns, publishing one a fortnight, and this week it's Phil's turn. 

You can find a link to the crossword here and the answers below. Feel free to leave any comments or questions here as you would do on TfTT. You can find an index to the complete series of crosswords here.

Before looking at the answers, if you would like some additional help, click the label below.

Hints...

Some hints and tips:

• Can you spot the special property of the grid of answers?
• The antelopes are perhaps a less usual spelling as people know the brand name better.
• Not that it helps with the answer...Pansy is not a common name these days, but do you remember Pansy Potter?
• For one answer you need to think of a weapon and remove the first and last letters.

And click on this label to get the solution.

Solution...

Definitions underlined in bold italics, (Abc)* indicating anagram of Abc, {deletions} and [] other indicators.

Across

1              Game, after which you'd enjoy this drink (6)

                SQUASH - Double definition, the second a cryptic hint.

4              Failure for lots of people at first (4)

                FLOP – Initial letters [at first] of For Lots Of People.

8              Flourish breakfast bowl? (8)

                BRANDISH – BRAN (breakfast) DISH (bowl).

9              Indian city artist is after silver (4)

                AGRA – RA (Royal Academician; artist) [after] AG (chemical symbol for silver).

11           Savagely cut guitar (3)

                AXE – Double definition.

12           Antelopes and deer return to county (9)

                REEDBUCKS – DEER [return] -> REED, BUCKS (County of Buckinghamshire). More commonly known as Reeboks.

13           Last to finish on river (6)

                ENDURE – END (finish) URE (river in North Yorkshire).

15           Heart of weapon to develop gradually (6)

                EVOLVE – Middle letters of [heart of] rEVOLVEr (weapon).

18           Bat seen after dark in late entertainment venue (9)

                NIGHTCLUB – CLUB (bat) [after] NIGHT (dark).

19           Limit international honour (3)

                CAP – Double definition.

20           Whichever way you look at it, it's twelve (4)

                NOON – A palindrome [whichever way you look at it].

21           Bang on about not voting Conservative? (8)

                BELABOUR – Double definition, the second a cryptic hint.

22           Makes more of Dad's dishevelment (4)

                ADDS – (Dad’s)* [dishevelment].

23           Whispered comments as I dress oddly (6)

Down

1              Bet it's a cut of meat for the auditor (5)

                STAKE – Sounds like [for the auditor] STEAK (cut of meat).

2              Cruelly rude winter to take on a risk (10)

                UNDERWRITE – [Crude] (rude winter)*.

3              Methodical procedure Pansy's tempted to take on board (6)

                SYSTEM – Hidden in [take on board] PanSY’S TEMpted.

5              "Go!" I call hysterically - it's clearly reasonable (7)

                LOGICAL – (Go I call)* [hysterically].

6              Afterthought to take in song and dramas (5)

                PLAYS – PS (afterthought) outside [to take in] LAY (song).

7              Jack to be idle - it's well alight (6)

                ABLAZE – AB (Able Bodied seaman; Jack) LAZE (be idle).

10           Perfectly ethical over directors (5,5)

                ABOVE BOARD – ABOVE (over) BOARD (directors).

14           Tree - and who'd pee against it they tell me (7)

                DOGWOOD – Sounds like, [they tell me] DOG WOULD. Ha ha!

16           Large business network of politician in Ireland once (6)

                EMPIRE – MP (politician) [in] EIRE (Ireland once).

17           Peels back skin at first - is dead to the world (6)

                SLEEPS – PEELS [back] -> SLEEP, Skin [at first].

18           Type of turtle back in New Jersey area finally (5)

                NINJA – IN [back] -> NI, NJ (New Jersey) areA [finally].

19           Annoyed mule? (5)

                CROSS – Double definition.