Weekend Quick Cryptic 85 - 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 and tips...

Some hints and tips:

• 13A is the only non-thematic across answer.
• 21A is closely related to the crossword title.
• 25A may be an unfamiliar word but the definition is precise and wordplay fairly straightforward.
• 1D is sometimes spelt with a double S, but not here.
• Ignore the punctuation in 2D - it is designed to mislead.

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 Last of cartoons in Beano, say, is mega? (6)
COSMIC – [Last of] cartoonS in COMIC (Beano). 
4 Mysterious remote flash in the sky (6)
METEOR –  (remote)* [mysterious]
8 Swiss hero wearing short Indian dress? That's extraordinary! (7)
STELLAR – TELL (William Tell; Swiss hero) in SAR{i} (Indian dress) short of 1 letter.
10 Every animal's reputed to have origins here (5)
EARTH – Initial letters, [origins], of Every Animal’s Reputed To Have. A semi-&lit, where the whole clue is the definition and all but 1 word (here) is the wordplay.
11 Goddess with heavenly body (5)
VENUS – Double definition.
12 Spacers flying astronomical distances (7)
PARSECS – (Spacers)* [flying].
13 Demanding redesign can be infuriating (9)
MADDENING – (Demanding)* [redesign].
18 Travels through quiet Irish lakes (7)
PLOUGHS – P (piano; quiet) LOUGHS (Irish lakes).
21 Small step leads to where one may boldly go (5)
SPACE – S (small) PACE (step). The definition ties up with title of the crossword in being part of the introduction to Star Trek.
22 Notes resistance to sort of renewable energy (5)
SOLAR – SO LA (notes) R (resistance).
23 Newspaper regular feature identifies warm holiday resort (7)
SUNSPOT –  SUN (newspaper) SPOT (regular feature).
24 Removing core from sappy branch is standard procedure (6)
SYSTEM – S{app}Y [removing core], STEM (branch).
25 Lorry, not large, carrying queen's clockwork astronomical model (6)
ORRERY – {l}ORRY outside ER (queen).
 
Down
1 Staple food from Africa savannah (6)
CASAVA – Hidden in AfriCA SAVAnnah. Can also be spelt with a double S.
2 Seabird, in addition, has breastbone (7)
STERNUM – TERN (seabird) in SUM (addition). A reminder that crafty setters can mislead you with punctuation.
3 Will, losing his head, took drugs after being badly treated (3-4)
ILL-USED – {w}ILL [losing his head], USED (took drugs).
5 Ruler your setter looks up to - always (5)
EMEER – ME (your setter) [looks up] -> EM, E’ER (ever; always).
6 Mountain retreat is reportedly strangely frightening (5)
EYRIE – Sounds like EERIE (strangely frightening).
7 Hears about Handel's first reuse of old material (6)
REHASH – (Hears)* [about] Handel [‘s first]. It was by reuse of some of his existing music that Handel was able to compose The Messiah in just 24 days.
9 Checks on printers (9)
REPRESSES – RE (on) PRESSES (printers).
14 In hospital for convalescents Earl, oddly, becomes crazier (7)
INSANER – IN SAN (hospital for convalescents), odd letters of  EaRl.
15 Get hold of Greek fruit (7)
GRAPPLE – GR (Greek) APPLE (fruit).
16 Potential spouse works (6)
OPUSES – [Potential] (spouse)*.
17 Guard stood at southern gate (6)
SENTRY – S (southern) ENTRY (gate).
19 Some damsel going climbing gets lascivious looks (5)
OGLES – Reverse hidden in [some … climbing] damsSEL GOing
20 Son covered in blood after falling into this? (5)
GORSE – S (son) in GORE (blood).