Weekend Quick Cryptic 71 - 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 my 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:

• The ex-President at 1A shares a name with the archaeologist who features in the story.
• 11A is a slightly TRICKY four-part charade.
• In 21A you need the German spelling of the name of the river.
• The combination of 10A and 17D is allegedly the cause of the title of the crossword.

And click on this label to get the solution.

Solution and explanation of the theme, title and answers...

The event referenced is the opening in EGYPT, close to the River NILE, of Tutankhamun's, (PHARAOH TUT's) TOMB by Howard CARTER in Feb 1923 (see here). There is a story that when he got home he was presented with the dead body of his pet canary, said to be the result of the MUMMY's CURSE (see here). The King is said to have been mummified to resemble OSIRIS (see here) and the tomb contained AMULETS and SCARABs.

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

Across
1 Ex-President is wagon driver (6)
CARTER – Double definition.
4 Flower that can be blue, white or a sort of green (4)
NILE – Cryptic definition referring to the two main tributaries and the colour NILE GREEN.
9 Ancient king was an occasional enemy  (according to Spooner) (7)
PHARAOH -  Sounds like RARE FOE (occasional enemy) with starts swapped.
10 Mother with a well-preserved body? (5)
MUMMY – Double definition with the second a slightly saucy cryptic hint
11 Free old con nearly at end of sentence (9)
EXTRICATE – EX (old) TRIC{k} (con) [nearly] AT [end of] sentencE.
12 Show disapproval of some substitutions (3)
TUT – Hidden in, [some], substiTUTions.
13 Origins of Sixth Century horse dung gatherer (6
SCARAB – [Origins of] Sixth Century ARAB (horse). Also known as a dung beetle.
15 Leader of first one then a second company disaster (6)
FIASCO – [Leader of] First I (one), A S (second) CO (company).
17 French vineyard circus visited occasionally (3)
CRU – Alternate letters of CiRcUs [visited occasionally].
18 Client somehow gets hold of contact number for creative thinker (9)
INTELLECT – (Client)* [somehow] including, [gets hold of] TEL (contact number).
21 "Throw her in the river", as they say in Germany (5)
RHEIN – [throw] (her in)* using the German spelling of the name of the river [as they say in Germany].
22 Teacher having favourite on reflection is a bad move (7)
MISSTEP – MISS (teacher) PET (teacher’s favourite) reversed, [on reflection] -> TEP.
23 Like pie or a piece of cake (4)
EASY – Double definition, both figurative.
24 Isis or maybe another god (6)
OSIRIS – (Isis or)* [maybe].
 
Down
1 Evergreen from dictator's Mediterranean island (7)
CYPRESS – Sounds like [dictator’s] CYPRUS (Mediterranean island).
2 Engineers play a part and push back (5)
REACT – RE (Engineers) ACT (play a part).
3 Medical tests reveal synthetic amine's a toxin (12)
EXAMINATIONS – [synthetic] (amine’s a toxin)*.
5 People given time at home with friends (7)
INMATES – IN (at home) MATES (friends).
6 Dodgy type concealed source of gold in this country (5)
EGYPT – [Dodgy] (type)* [concealed] [source of] Gold.
7 Hear exotic bird (4)
RHEA – (Hear)* [exotic].
8 Slimiest pair become empire builders (12)
IMPERIALISTS – (slimiest pair)* [became]. I’m glad I’m away from office politics these days.
14 Lucky charms a Greek character hires out (7)
AMULETS – A MU (Greek letter; character) LETS (hires out).
16 Month with no drink upset army type (7)
OCTOPUS – OCT (month) O (zero; no) SUP (drink) [upset] -> PUS.
17 Swear route has nothing removed (5)
CURSE – C{o}URSE (route) with the O (nothing) removed.
19 Monument to doctor (4)
TOMB – TO, MB (doctor).
20 Key often used to get in (5)
ENTER – Double definition.