Weekend Quick Cryptic 142 - 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...

Here are a few hints and tips.

The title "For the Benefit of All" is the motto of NASA and the grid includes two NASA milestones that happened on two different 14ths of Novmber (which is also the publication date for this crossword)

• 11A The long distance traveller is extra-terrestrial
• The word at 21A may be unfamiliar but the straightforward wordplay should get you the answer
• 5D requires a reversal for part of the answer
• In 15D "scored" means written in a musical score

And click on this label to get the solution.

Solution and explanation of the answers...

The two events that happened on November 14th are the APOLLO TWELVE LAUNCH (1969) and MARINER NINE enters MARS ORBIT (1971). A further NASA event, on 14th November 2008 which doesn't feature in the grid was the launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour to continue assembly of the International Space Station.

There is also the word COMET in the grid. As it happens Comet  C/2025 T1 has its closest approach to Earth on 14th November 2025.

Definitions  underlined in bold italics , ( Abc )* indicating anagram of Abc,{deletions} and [] other indicators.

Across
1 Greek god is leader of Olympus following a vote (6)
APOLLO – A POLL (vote) and lead letter of Olympus.
4 Film certificate for "The Jury"? (6)
TWELVE – Double definition, the second a cryptic hint.
8 Merry imbibing in progress this evening (7)
TONIGHT – ON (in progress) in TIGHT (drunk; merry).
10 Do regularly spend on medication (5)
DOSED – DO and alternate letters [regularly] of SpEnD.
11 Long-distance traveller to arrive on time (5)
COMET – COME (arrive) T (time).
12 Perhaps miner yearns at heart to become a seafarer (7)
MARINER – [perhaps] (miner + {ye}AR{ns})*,  [at heart].
13 Square that's popular in Tyneside (4)
NINE – IN (popular) in NE (north-east; Tyneside).
14 Spoils Mary no end with ultimate in gifts (4)
MARS = MAR{y} [no end] and last letter in giftS.
19 Unaccompanied sailor's shellfish (7)
ABALONE - AB (sailor) ALONE (unaccompanied).
21 Religious sayings of some theologians (5)
LOGIA – Hidden in [some] theoLOGIAns.
22 Clamber about part of tree (5)
CLIMB – C (circa; about) LIMB (part of tree).
23 Squeeze head of garlic into the tin somehow (7)
TIGHTEN – First letter, [head], of Garlic in (the tin)* [somehow].
24 Give mafia boss a heartless tale (6)
DONATE – DON (mafia boss) A and T{al}E without the middle letters, [heartless].
25 Clown returns a hotel cleaning aid (6)
LOOFAH – FOOL (clown) [returns] -> LOOF, A H (hotel in the phonetic alphabet).
 
Down
1 Associate diplomat lacking energy (6)
ATTACH – ATTACH{e} (diplomat) without the E (energy).
2 Embellishment that's innate to Roman reconstruction (13)
ORNAMENTATION – (innate to Roman)* [reconstruction].
3 Improve mood with some in-flight entertainment (7)
LIGHTEN – Hidden in , [some], fLIGHT ENtertainment.
5 Shorebird with a red back (5)
WADER – W (with) A and RED [back] -> DER.
6 Failing to consider case of Olaf after going blind (6,5,2)
LOSING SIGHT OF – LOSING SIGHT (going blind) and outside letters, [case], of OlaF.
7 Sadly rue supporting demise of bear (6)
ENDURE - END (demise) (rue)* [sadly].
9 Processed meat is boring (4)
TAME – [Processed] (meat)*.
15 Quickly scored a fifty before on-side run out (7)
ALLEGRO – A L (fifty in Roman numerals) LEG (on-side) RO (run out). A musical direction meaning quickly on a music manuscript (scored).
16 Rank that led part of police force (6)
RANCID – RAN (led) CID (part of police force).
17 Fast is slow in France (4)
LENT – Double definition.
18 Introduction to the market of a pleasure craft (6)
LAUNCH – Double definition.
20 Gold coin in circulation (5)
ORBIT – OR (gold) BIT (coin).