Weekend Quick Cryptic 115 - Solution

Phil Jordan, Sawbill and I are continuing to produce our series of 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:

• This crossword was created for the annual Crossword Sloggers and Betters get-together in York last weekend as my contribution to the set of crosswords to be solved on the Saturday. The theme "Slogging and Betting" (a spoonerism for Blogging and Setting) translates into 12 thematic answers. Can you spot them?
• 20A This is driven through the heart to kill a vampire.
• 23A is thematic answer related to betting.
• 13D is a duty on ships, based on their cargo-carrying capacity.
• In 17D "with" is a juxtaposition indicator - "A with B" becoming BA.

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
7 We hear French street allowed gambling activity (8)
ROULETTE – ROULETTE sounds like RUE (French street) LET (allowed)
8 A bit of liquor is known to lead to danger (4)
RISK -  Hidden in, [a bit of] liquoR IS Known.
9 Bum found in empty gallery is in a bad mood (6)
GRUMPY – RUMP (bum) in outside letters of, [empty], G{aller}Y.
10 First of knockouts seen after heavyweight hits very hard (5)
TONKS – TON (heavyweight) and first letters of Knockouts Seen.
11 Blunder with queen capturing rook (3)
ERR – R (rook) in ER (queen).
12 Cricketer's buffet (6)
BATTER – Double definition. Buffet and batter as in strike repeatedly.
14 Bet he's American (6)
YANKEE – Double definition. A Yankee bet is a bet on four or more horses to win (or be placed) in different races.
16 Opportunity for revolutionary to imprison South African party (6)
CHANCE – ANC (African National Congress; South African party) in CHE (Guevara; revolutionary).
18 Comic sound heard when starting to hit with another cold kipper (6)
THWACK – Initial letters of To Hit With Another Cold Kipper.
19 Cut escape of water from grassy field (3)
LEA – LEA{k} (escape of water without the last letter, [cut].
20 Doctor Kate's a vampire killer (5)
STAKE – [Doctor] (Kate’s)*.
21 Presides over meeting about hot broadcasts (6)
CHAIRS – C (about) H (hot) AIRS (broadcasts).
23 They can be rolled and cut (4)
DICE – Double definition.
24 Cooking entire ox is hard work (8)
EXERTION – [Cooking] (entire ox)*.
 
Down
1 Keep quiet about our mother’s whiskey (4,4)
SOUR MASH – SH (keep quiet) about OUR MA’S (mother’s).
2 Harshly criticise high value contract (4)
SLAM – Double definition. Slam is a bridge term for a contract of 6 or 7, or 12 or all 13 tricks respectively.
3 Celebrity accepting hype occasionally is one to back in the long run (6)
STAYER – Alternate letters, [occasionally], of hYpE in STAR (celebrity).
4 Guard is transported by railway (6)
SENTRY – SENT (transported) RY (railway).
5 Put identifying mark on fresh mint (5-3)
BRAND-NEW – BRAND (put identifying mark) NEW (fresh).
6 Exploits of some house sitters (4)
USES – Hidden in, [some], hoUSE Sitters.
13 Neat song about duties on ships (8)
TONNAGES – (neat song)* [about].
15 French delicacy that's great with cos when scrambled (8)
ESCARGOT – (great cos)* [scrambled].
17 Team is level with the Spanish (6)
ELEVEN – EL (the in Spanish) EVEN (level).
18 Changed course with diplomacy, we hear (6)
TACKED – TACKED sounds like TACT (diplomacy).
20 Leave out large rubbish container (4)
SKIP – Double definition.
22 Wager Italian poet needs no introduction (4)
ANTE – {d}ANTE (Italian poet) without the first letter, [needs no introduction].