Weekend Quick Cryptic 138 - 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 Phil'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...

Here are a few hints and tips.

• 14A is a cryptic definition.
• In 1D "somehow" is an anagram indicator.
• In 4D you need to use the phonetic alphabet to complete the anagrist.
• In 5D "next to" is a juxtaposition indicator.
• The quill in 20D comes from some animals.

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 Debriefing at evacuation centre for those attending (4)
GATE – Middle letters of debriefinG AT Evacuation.
3 Got old boy taught right away (8)
OBTAINED – OB (old boy) T{r}AINED (taught) without the R (right).
9 Liar not ordered before judge? (2,5)
ON TRIAL – (Liar not)* [ordered].
10 Artist could be seen at breakfast? (5)
BACON – Double definition, the second a cryptic hint.
11 Gents, I am going for rent (2,3)
TO LET – TO{i}LET (gents) without the I.
12 Compassionate chap hiding in shade (6)
HUMANE – MAN (chap) in HUE (shade).
14 In which one could be coming or going? (9,4)
REVOLVING DOOR – Cryptic definition.
17 Editing e.g. main puzzle (6)
ENIGMA – [Editing] (e.g. main)*.
19 Starts to affect the ship's engine anchored offshore (2,3)
AT SEA – Initial letters, [starts to], of Affect The Ship’s Engine Anchored.
22 Building hospital by river (5)
HOUSE – H (hospital) OUSE (river).
23 I let cat perhaps on climbing frame (7)
LATTICE – (I let cat)* [perhaps].
24 Displays gifts (8)
PRESENTS – Double definition.
25 The man initially avoids tropical high temperatures (4)
HEAT – HE (the man) and initial letters of Avoids Tropical.
 
Down
1 Somehow got round - one deserves another? (4,4)
GOOD TURN – [Somehow] (got round)*.
2 Write off all of it? (5)
TOTAL – Double definition.
4 Slob liable to mix with hotel dance troupe (7,6)
BOLSHOI BALLET – (slob liable to h)* [mix], with H for Hotel from the phonetic alphabet.
5 Thriller, perhaps, in which Pacino is next to bottom (5)
ALBUM – AL (Pacino) BUM (bottom). The album by Michael Jackson.
6 Without WC, party is not going to happen (2,3,2)
NO CAN DO – NO (without) CAN (American slang for WC) DO (party).
7 Eat food in elegant boxes (4)
DINE – Hidden in, [boxes], fooD IN Elegant.
8 Large number drink up getting shots from this? (6)
PISTOL – LOT (large number) SIP (drink) all reversed, [up], -> PISTOL.
13 Old soldier turning up in torn decoration (8)
ORNAMENT – O (old) and MAN (soldier) [turning up] -> NAM in RENT (torn).
15 Put forward business (7)
VENTURE – Double definition.
16 Stag in wild - they are big (6)
GIANTS – (stag in)* [wild]. Stag is the plural for stag.
18 Inside, for example, spot returning wildfowl (5)
GEESE – SEE (spot) inside E.G. (for example) all returning -> GEESE.
20 Quill, perhaps, is small and long (5)
SPINE – S (small) PINE (long). The spine of a porcupine or hedgehog, for example, is known as a quill.
21 Policeman consuming hot meat (4)
CHOP – H (hot) in COP (policeman).