Weekend Quick Cryptic 89 - 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 and tips...

Some hints and tips:

• 5A The fuel conversion is used in steel making to proved the fuel for the blast furnaces.
• 12A The state is an African one.
• 13D the escape could also be from where a plane takes off.

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 Planes crashed here in Italy (6)
NAPLES – (planes)* [crashed.
5 Joint ruler whimsically carrying out fuel conversion (6)
COKING – CO -KING (joint ruler). The process of converting coal to coke. That takes me back. My first job was with British Steel and I spent a summer working on the Coke Ovens By-Product Plant at South Bank in Middlesbrough. Now, sadly, demolished.
8 Nettle us badly to cause disruption (8)
UNSETTLE – (nettle us)* [badly].
9 Religious devotion? It's heartless - shame! (4)
PITY – PI{e}TY (religious devotion) [heartless].
10 Barmy thief takes in old wives' tale (4)
MYTH – Hidden in, [takes in] BarMY THief.
11 Remove meal? (4,4)
TAKE AWAY – Double definition.
12 Poster ripped up quick! (6)
PRESTO – (poster) [ripped up].
14 State "African nation gains our loyalty again" - to begin with (6)
ANGOLA – First letters, [to begin with] of African Nation Gains Our Loyalty Again
16 Lunch hasn't started, as tea hasn't finished - that's depraved (8)
UNCHASTE – {l}UNCH AS TE{a}.
18 Untidily bury precious stone (4)
RUBY – (bury)* [untidily].
20 Overly sentimental during wet weekend (4)
TWEE – Hidden in weT WEEkend.
21 Force to leave excursion by car (5,3)
DRIVE OUT – Double definition, the second a cryptic hint.
23 Heart surgery is a way to avoid congestion (6)
BYPASS – Double definition
24 Old infringement to gain assets by force (6)
EXTORT – EX (old) TORT (infringement).
 
Down
2 Loudspeaker doesn't begin to be irritating (5)
ANNOY – {t}ANNOY (loudspeaker) [doesn’t begin].
3 Bloodsuckers finally crawl on top of processed cheese (7)
LEECHES – [finally] crawL, (cheese)* [processed].
4 Took an exam as returning student finally (3)
SAT – AS [returning] -> SA, studenT [finally].
5 Restrain partner - it's game over (9)
CHECKMATE – CHECK (restrain) MATE (partner).
6 Greek character is one to put the lid on it they say (5)
KAPPA – Sounds like, [as they say], CAPPER (one to put the lid on it).
7 Score in one game - or another (7)
NETBALL – NET BALL (score in football).
11 Showed bias to give approval to teams (4,5)
TOOK SIDES – TO, OK (give approval) SIDES (teams).
13 Escape from catwalk after consuming alcohol first (3,4)
RUN AWAY – Alcohol [at first] in RUN WAY (catwalk).
15 Man conceals weapon in trousers possibly (7)
GARMENT -  ARM (weapon) in GENT (man).
17 Finally, with any time in Africa, you may hear this creature laugh (5)
HYENA – Last letters, [finally], of witH anY timE iN AfricA.
19 Coarser rubble half-heartedly arranged (5)
BLUER – (rub{b}le)* [arranged], using only one of the two bs in the middle – [half-heartedly]
22 It's cold in Nice with no hat on (3)
ICE – {n}ICE without the first letter.