Weekend Quick Cryptic 133 - 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...

The title of the crossword is the title of the first episode of the 1968 cartoon series Wacky Races, which is today's theme. You can find the title and one of the contestants in the clues and more contestants in the answers.

Here are a few hints and tips.

• 8A is a double definition and it's Polish with a short o.
• 10A references a famous rock musician.
• 12A The Brad mentioned is a star of the recent film title also mentioned in the clue.
• 22A is a cryptic definition.
• 9D has a fruity connection.
• The answer to 14D can also mean "appointed as a stand in for".

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 Lots of small stones being left on burial place (6)
GRAVEL –  GRAVE (burial place) L (left). With Rock, they were the Slag brothers who drove the Boulder Mobile. In pole position at 1A, he and his brother were the most successful racers with 14 top 3 positions. When I came up with this clue I had no idea the surface meaning had the significance that is described here.
4 A hybrid sort of clue (6)
ACROSS – A CROSS (hybrid, e.g. a mule).
8 Polish is as good as you can get (7)
PERFECT – Double definition. Polish with a short O. Peter Perfect was racer of the Turbo Terrific.
10 Gabriel maybe is the gatekeeper to heaven (5)
PETER – Double definition, the first a cryptic hint referring to the Genesis front man. See 8A.
11 Jog naked around centre of Rugby (5)
NUDGE – Middle letter of ruGby in NUDE (naked).
12 Reportedly Brad's best time for tyre changes during F1 races (3,4)
PIT STOP – PIT’S, sounds like, (Brad) PITT’S, star of the recent film F1, TOP (best). See 19A (and 13D).
13 Wickedly abused lady with Strad (9)
DASTARDLY – [abused] (lady Strad)*. First name Dick. Driver of the Mean Machine.
17 Warning over British associating with a province in Canada (7)
ALBERTA – B (British) in ALERT (warning) A.
19 It may drop the moment you solve this clue (5)

PENNY – Cryptic definition and an abbreviation for Penelope (Pitstop see 12A), driver of the Compact Pussycat. Read here about the term “Penny drop moment”.

21 Bow is somewhat shaky (5)
DICKY – Double definition. Including Dick Dastardly’s first name.
22 Soldiers' high-rise accommodation? (7)
ANTHILL – Cryptic definition. Reference to the Anthill Mob, drivers of the Bulletproof Bomb.
23 Quietly and without heart Muttley consumes cooked leek (6)
MEEKLY – (leek)* [cooked] in outside letters of MuttleY, referring to Dick Dastardly’s sidekick. Private Meekly was partner to Sergeant Blast in the Army Surplus Special.
24 Dreads swimming snakes (6)
ADDERS – (dreads)* [swimming].
 
Down
1 Joke about fastener being wide-open (6)
GAPING – GAG (joke) about PIN (fastener).
2 I read about getting broadcast (5)
AIRED – (I read)* [about].
3 Football teams? Odds on the Spanish (7)
ELEVENS – EL (the in Spanish) EVENS (betting odds). The European Women’s Football  Championship.  is on at the moment. I see the odds right now on Spain winning are 10/11 – not far from evens.
5 Get into trouble for misrepresenting topic (3,2)
COP IT – [misrepresenting] (topic)*.
6 Linger too long away from home on Southern Scottish river (7)
OUTSTAY – OUT (away from home) S (Southern) TAY (Scottish River).
7 Band remove clothes before end of dance (6)
STRIPE – STRIP (remove clothes) and last letter of dancE.
9 Gaffer is best of the bunch (3,6)
TOP BANANA – Double definition, the second a cryptic hint.
13 Fiasco of wacky ECB deal (7)
DEBACLE – [wacky] (see what I did there?) (ECB deal)*.
14 Delegated action hedging position (7)
DEPUTED – DEED (action) outside [hedging] PUT (position, the verb).
15 Initially registered all new Doctors of Medicine in no particular order (6)
RANDOM – Initial letters of Registered All New Doctors Of Medicine
16 Rides in circles (6)
CYCLES – Double definition.
18 Member of ruling family causing uprising of non-professional soldiers (5)
ROYAL – LAY (non-professional) OR (other ranks; soldiers) all reversed [uprising].
20 Innocent one found in middle of church (5)
NAÏVE – I (one) in NAVE (middle of church).