Weekend Quick Cryptic 117 - 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 Sawbill'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:

• The support at 9A is for a golf ball
• Love in 20A means zero, conventional represented by a round letter.
• In 5D the boat can also be described as a floating platform.

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 Is annoyed with smoke? (5)
FUMES – Double definition.
4 Boxes at the start of each round getting more spaced out (7)
SPARSER – SPARS (boxes) and the initial letters of Each Round.
8 Copy flightless bird no longer living (7)
EMULATE – EMU (flightless bird) LATE (no longer living).
9 A number of hardline reserves initially in support (5)
THREE – Initial letters of Hardline Reserves in TEE (golf ball support).
10 Disastrous pitch as actor stumbles (12)
CATASTROPHIC – (pitch as actor)* [stumbles].
12 Throws fish into ship (6)
SLINGS – LING (crossword land’s favourite fish) in SS (ship).
13 Reconcile with nature (4,2)
MAKE UP – Double definition
16 Peer, perhaps, is annoyed on seat in front of Queen? (12)
CROSSBENCHER – CROSS (annoyed) BENCH (seat) ER (Queen).
18 Hysteria over article in photo (5)
PANIC – AN (indefinite article) in PIC (photo).
20 Small number with love letter from Greece (7)
OMICRON – O (0; love) MICRO (small) N (number).
21 Walked horse around very quietly (7)
STEPPED – PP (pianissimo; very quietly) in STEED (horse).
22 Reportedly runs away from insects (5)
FLEAS – FLEES (runs away), sounds like FLEAS.
 
Down
1 Rips off coats (7)
FLEECES – Double definition.
2 Big chain earning amount that's crazy (8,5)
MOUNTAIN RANGE – (earning amount)* [crazy].
3 Celebrity sings badly with Leo and others (4,5)
STAR SIGNS – STAR (celebrity) (sings)* [badly].
4 Controls cattle (6)
STEERS – Double definition.
5 Back of boat ... front missing (3)
AFT – {r}AFT (boat) without the first letter.
6 Extra cost of fill-up after vehicle maintenance (7,6)
SERVICE CHARGE – SERVICE (vehicle maintenance) CHARGE (fill-up).
7 Eggs went up in price, we hear (4)
ROES – ROSE (went up in price) sounds like ROES. ROE itself is plural but ROES is a valid alternative.
11 Accuser offers simple argument (9)
PLAINTIFF – PLAIN (simple) TIFF (argument).
14 They have some issue (7)
PARENTS – Cryptic definition.
15 Overseas or a bad manoeuvre (6)
ABROAD – (or a bad)* [manoeuvre].
17 Work in shop usually (4)
OPUS – Hidden in shOP USually.
19 Limit speed losing energy on the way up (3)
CAP – PAC{e} (speed) without the E (energy) reversed -> CAP.