Weekend Quick Cryptic 106 - Solution

Phil Jordan, Sawbill and I are continuing to produce our series of Weekend Quick Cryptic crosswords. We 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:

• The answer to the clue in the title is Great Wen, a nickname for London
• The "runner" in 13A is something that runs rather than a person, i.e. a river.
• The kids in 3D are not boys and girls.
• The instrument in 16D is often found in a band with drums.

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 They're given authority with regard to public conveniences (7)
REGENTS – RE (with regard to) GENTS (public conveniences)
5 Leave car with lead-free source of ignition (4)
PARK – {s}PARK (source of ignition) without the first  letter [lead-free].        
7 Some travel on donkey to capital city (6)
LONDON - hidden in traveL ON DONkey. Also the answer to the clue in the title.
8 You might come across this game (6)
BRIDGE – Double definition, the first a cryptic hint.
9 Secret agent conceals electronic component that's hot (5)
SPICY – IC (integrated circuit; electronic component) in SPY (secret agent).
10 Levels the odds (5)
EVENS – Double definition.
11 Where one might be taught to use an agricultural tool (6)
HARROW – Double definition.
13 Runner from East Ham without a bust (6)
THAMES - ( East H {a} m )* [bust]. Runner = flower = river.
15 Return of reject social outcast (5)
LEPER – [Return of] REPEL (reject).
17 Gossip associated with oddly posh pants (5)
GASPS – GAS (gossip) and alternate letters of, [oddly], PoSh.
18 Make pelmet for place of worship (6)
TEMPLE – [make] ( pelmet )*.
19 Hairstyle of legal profession not gross (6)
BARNET – BAR (legal profession) NET (not gross).
21 Statue of East End champions (4)
EROS – {h}EROS (champions) dropping the aitch, as EastEnders do.
22 Those people leading everyone to the way to the Palace (3,4)
THE MALL – THEM (those people) ALL (everyone).
 
Down
1 No end to uprising here in South America (3)
RIO – RIO{t} (uprising) without the last letter, [no end to].
2 Perversely dig ride becoming even more dizzy (7)
GIDDIER – [perversely] ( dig ride )*.
3 Woman in New York is one having kids? (5)
NANNY – ANN (woman) in NY (New York). A female goat.
4 Underlying theme of message from naval vessel (7)
SUBTEXT – SUB (naval vessel) TEXT (message).
5 Reportedly sticks a nose into cup? (5)
PRIZE – PRIZE; sounds like PRIES (sticks a nose into).
6 Notices sister changed numberplate first (9)
REGISTERS – REG (numberplate) ( sister )* [changed].
9 Just half a pint maybe is not significant (5,4)
SMALL BEER – Double definition, the first a cryptic hint.
12 Hottest gun in old frontier (7)
WARMEST - ARM (gun) in WEST (old frontier).
14 Chicago gangster leaves one country for another (7)
AUSTRIA – AUSTR{al}IA (country) without AL (capon; Chicago gangster). A bit of a chestnut perhaps.
16 Leaders of party in Perth enjoy sound of highland instrument (5)
PIPES - First letters, [leaders], of Party In Perth Enjoy Sounds. The bagpipes, generally abbreviated to pipes.
17 Bagel shaped architectural feature (5)
GABLE – ( bagel )* [shaped].
20 Fish raised in Middle England (3)
EEL – Reverse hidden in MiddLE England.