Weekend Quick Cryptic 73 - 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. 

SAVE THE DATE. We are planning another get together of Weekend QC compilers, TfTT bloggers and commenters on Saturday 24th June at from 1200 at The George, Borough High Street, Southwark, Greater London, SE1 1NH. All are welcome. We are also expecting Mick Hodgkin, the Times Puzzles Editor and Pete Biddlecombe, Sundays Times Crossword Editor and founder of Times for The Times to drop in. If you intend coming along, please drop me a line to Johninterred's Email, or send me a message via the "Contact Me" box in the sidebar, so we can have some idea of numbers and reserve sufficient table space.

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

Hints...

Some hints and tips:

• Your Weekend QC Crossword editor gets a mention in one long answer.
• A popular British singer from the 1960's also makes an appearance.
• 10A uses a definition by example, but the ellipsis prevents the addition of a ? to indicate it.
• The fictional TV detective was based in Oxford.

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 Dried bits of grass frequently found in Saturday wash (6)
STRAWS – Alternate letters [frequently found] in SaTuRdAy WaSh.
4 Panorama from one street in Virginia (5)
VISTA – I (one) ST (street) in VA (Virginia).
7 Well known short, fat mouse loses tail (6)
FAMOUS – FA{t} [short], MOUS{e} loses tail.
8 Polish off cod, perhaps, eating in (6)
FINISH – FISH (cod, perhaps) [eating] IN.
9 Try to get bats to return (4)
STAB – BATS [to return] -> STAB.
10 Cursed using torch in bunk ... (8)
BLIGHTED – LIGHT (torch) in BED (bunk).
12 ... and got up again? (11)
DISINTERRED – Cryptic definition.
17 Policeman moving States in disgust (8)
DISTASTE – DI (policeman) [moving] (states)*.
19 Very loud after Manchester United mess up (4)
MUFF – MU (Manchester United) FF (fortissimo, very loud).
20  Initially after rehearsing in band is very keen (6)
RARING – [Initially] After Rehearsing in RING (band).
21 An American woman overseas? (6)
ABROAD – A BROAD (an American woman).
22 Obligation to include Simpsons at the start coming from Springfield? (5)
DUSTY – DUTY (obligation) including S{impsons} [at the start]. The popular singer, and icon of the 1960s.
23 Way to negotiate, we hear, after the end of recess (6)
STREET – [End of] {reces}S, TREET, sounds like TREAT (negotiate).
 
Down
1 Set off and jumped (7)
STARTED – Double definition.
2 Shape could be broken brush old man at first put inside (7)
RHOMBUS – [broken] (brush)* outside O{old} M{an} [at first].
3 Bits of pulled chicken, perhaps? (9)
WISHBONES – Cryptic definition.
4 Fighting amongst navy in Gibraltar (5)
VYING – Hidden in, [amongst], naVY IN Gibralater.
5 One may be knocked down in the alley (7)
SKITTLE – Cryptic definition.
6 Bugs concealed in sap somehow (6)
APHIDS – HID (concealed) [in] (sap)* [somehow].
11 Len eating messily is uncouth (9)
INELEGANT – (Len eating)* [messily].
13 Tries travelling around Poles and places in between (7)
INSERTS – (Tries)* [travelling] [around] N,S (North, South; poles).
14 Guilt about TV detective (7)
REMORSE – RE (about) MORSE (TV detective).
15 Challenging worker after I provided food on the way back (7)
DEFIANT – I FED (provided food) reversed, [on the way back] -> DEFI, ANT (worker).
16 Loved a party? Communist (6)
ADORED – A DO (party) RED (Communist).
18 Put out any number inside (5)
ANNOY – ANY with NO (number) [inside].