Weekend Quick Cryptic 58 - 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 Sawbill'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:

• In 10A you need to turn "support" into a noun.
• In 18A "built" is an anagram indicator.
• In 24A "perhaps" indicates a definition by example. Other examples include Dundee and Rotherham..

And click on this label to get the solution.

Solution and explanation of the answers...

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

Across

1 Spare time? Agree in part (6)

MEAGRE – Hidden in tiME AGREe [in part].

4 Like I sit about? Really? (2,2,2)

AS IT IS – AS (like) (I sit)* [about].

8 Titled chap returns extremely excited (5)

NAMED – MAN (chap) [returns] -> NAM, and outside letters, [extremely] of ExciteD.

9 Clothes and belt (7)

CLOBBER – Double definition.

10 Am able to support new eating place (7)

CANTEEN – CAN (am able) TEE (golf ball support) N (new).

11 Beef, perhaps, right by oven (5)

ROAST – R, OAST (oven).

12 Upset tennis team without a thought (9)

SENTIMENT – [Upset] (tennis te{a}m)*, [without] the A.

17 Beds, perhaps, reduced to reach total (5)

COUNT – COUNT{y} (Bedfordshire) [reduced].

19 A new road built over river in country (7)

ANDORRA – A [new] (road)* [about] R (river)

21 Generally great confusion gripping the French (2,5)

AT LARGE – (Great)* [confusion] outside, [gripping], LA (the in French).

22 Satellites are low at the Poles (5)

MOONS – MOO (low, as a cow does) N S (poles).

23 Tester prepared by me? (6)

SETTER – (tester)* [prepared].

24 Edward follows team: Manchester, perhaps? (6)

UNITED – ED (Edward) after UNIT (team).

 

Down

1 Threat from people above one (6)

MENACE – MEN (people) [above] ACE (one).

2 Old man's nuts ... nuts! (7)

ALMONDS – (old man’s)* [nuts].

3 Dickens character starts to repel us during Great Expectations (5)

RUDGE – [starts to] Repel Us During Great Expectations.

5 Company in rush to cause suffering (7)

SCOURGE – CO (company) on SURGE (rush).

6 Lifted top part revealing bone (5)

TIBIA – A1 (top) BIT (part), all [lifted] -> TIBIA.

7 Street artist starts to think about layers (6)

STRATA – ST (street) RA (royal academician; artist), [starts to] Think About.

9 Frank worried afterwards? He's up for it (9)

CANDIDATE – CANDID (frank) ATE (worried).

13 Rent out building? It's wrong (3,4)

NOT TRUE – (rent out)* [building].

14 Evict crowd? (4,3)

TURN OUT – Double definition, although you have to split the second.

15 Canoes capsize here? (6)

OCEANS – (canoes)* [capsize]. Semi &lit.

16 Produced second-hand crap now and again at the start (6)

CAUSED – USED (second-hand) after alternate letters of CrAp [now and again].

18 One thing left concealed in dark? (5)

UNLIT – UNIT (one thing) outside L (left) [concealed in].

20 Whizz-kid made money boxes (5)

DEMON – Hidden in maDE MONey [boces].