Weekend Quick Cryptic 96 - Solution

Although The Times has bowed to pressure and started providing a Saturday Quick Cryptic crossword, my fellow TimesforTheTimes contributors Phil Jordan, Sawbill and I are continuing to produce Quick Cryptic crosswords to fill the gap left by the Sunday 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 this week's 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:

• In 9A the first definition is 4 words.
• In 21A PM stands for Prime Minister not afternoon.
• 1D is a 'reverse cryptic' where the answer is a clue to an element of the wordplay.

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 Remainder in dire straits (4)
REST – Hidden in diRE STraits.
3 Rod initially is not great filling positions (8)
STAFFING – STAFF (rod) and first letters of, [initially], Is Not Great.
8 Den is frequently sleazier (4)
LAIR – Alternate letters, [frequently], of sLeAzIeR.
9 The state of being in the money? (8)
CURRENCY – Double definition, the first of which is perhaps a little difficult to spot.
11 Used part of watch (6,4)
SECOND HAND – Double definition.
14 Odd article in Paris very bent in the middle (6)
UNEVEN – UNE (article in Paris; the in French) V (very) bENt [in the middle].
15 A draw's arranged with prizes (6)
AWARDS – (a draw’s)* [arranged].
17 Señor outside of seedy bar in Havana? He goes down (5,5)
SCUBA DIVER – SR [señor] outside CUBA DIVE (seedy bar in Havana).
20 Tunes rearranged - I seldom like in the end (8)
MELODIES – (I seldom {lik}e)* [rearranged] with [in the end] indicating use of just the last letter of like.
21 PM in garden (4)
EDEN – Double definition, the first indicating the former Prime Minister (PM), Anthony Eden.
22 Fords and goes across (8)
TRANSITS – Double definition, the second as in the transit of Mercury across the sun, for example.
23 Man, say, lies around (4)
ISLE – (lies)* [around].
 
Down
1 Excludes 'lures' from a cryptic clue? (5,3)
RULES OUT – a reverse cryptic (i.e. the answer is a clue to the element of the wordplay).  where LURES may be clued as RULES OUT
2 Charming women after small changes (8)
SWITCHES – S (small) WITCHES (charming women).
4 Stretched, we hear, as instructed (6)
TAUGHT – Sounds like TAUT (stretched) [we hear].
5 Find a wader flying over big area (3,3,4)
FAR AND WIDE – (find a wader)* [flying]. Nice apposite surface.
6 Pubs in north and south (4)
INNS – IN N and S (north and south).
7 Painter starts to gloss over yellowing Artex (4)
GOYA – Initial letters, [starts], of Gloss Over Yellowing Artex.
10 Pleads for screen and edit changes (10)
INTERCEDES – (screen edit)* [changes].
12 Gives publicity before videos updated (8)
PROVIDES – PR (publicity) (videos)* [updated].
13 Keep a distance from eastern way over mountains (8)
ESTRANGE – E (eastern) ST (street; way) RANGE (mountains).
16 Dispatched after sailor is missing (6)
ABSENT – AB (Able Bodied seaman; sailor) SENT (dispatched).
18 Raise time issue (4)
EMIT – Reverse, (going upwards), [Raise] TIME -> EMIT.
19 Island has some hotel bargains (4)
ELBA – Hidden in, [some], hotEL BArgains.