Weekend Quick Cryptic 149 - 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.

• In 1A "cocktail" is not an anagram indicator, but a juxtaposition.
• In 14A "cycling" means rotate the letters of "for your information".
• The the name for a mountain ridge in 2D is used in French Switzerland especially.
• The star in 17D is our nearest.

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 Absurd cocktail of drugs (8)
CRACKPOT – CRACK + POT (two drugs).
5 Single objection to neighbour (4)
ABUT – A (single) + BUT (objection).
9 Ant's partner, rejected by seaside show venue, is deeply wounded (7)
PIERCED – PIER (seaside show venue) + DEC (Ant’s partner) [rejected] -> CED.
10 Georgia follows prisoner in dance (5)
CONGA – GA (abbreviation for Georgia state) after [follows] CON (prisoner).
11 That woman's love - a brave man (4)
HERO – HER (that woman’s) + O (0; love).
12 Bans Merry Men perhaps (7)
OUTLAWS – Double definition, the second referring to Robin Hood’s band.
14 Update: 60's youth associated with cycling (for your information) (6)
MODIFY – MOD (60’s youth) + FYI (for your information) [cycling; rotating letters] -> IFY.
16 Inactive like retired old PM (6)
ASLEEP – AS (like) PEEL (old PM) [retired] -> LEEP.
19 Cricket side - leg? Extras could appear here (2,5)
ON STAGE – ON (cricket side of the field) + STAGE (leg of e.g. Tour de France race).
21 Pleasant French resort (4)
NICE – Double definition.
24 A mile perhaps? This correspondence can go much further! (5)
EMAIL – (A mile)* [perhaps].
25 Doctor in charge of shepherd initially, then others dealing with animals (7)
DROVERS – DR (doctor) + OVER (in charge of) + first letter, [initially], of Shepherd.
26 Bird the drone occasionally identified (4)
TERN – Alternate letters [occasionally identified] of ThE dRoNe.
27 Dogs in less pain after treatment (8)
SPANIELS – (less pain)* [after treatment].
 
Down
1 Outdo Oscar for "The Godfather" (4)
CAPO – CAP (outdo) + O  (Oscar in the phonetic alphabet).
2 Mountain ridge in Harare territory (5)
ARÊTE – Hidden in HarARE TErritory.
3 Start a fight when game begins (4,3)
KICK OFF – Double definition.
4 Alumnus, an elderly chap (3,3)
OLD BOY – Double definition.
6 Banged a wound dressing (7)
BANDAGE – (Banged a)* [wound].
7 Weird patterns in part of church (8)
TRANSEPT – [Weird] (patterns)*.
8 Old tax – one from North of the Border? (4)
SCOT – Double definition.
13 Your setter is unassuming, but shameless (8)
IMMODEST – I’M (your setter is) + MODEST (unassuming).
15 Loss of hope of the French couple (7)
DESPAIR – DES (of the in French) + PAIR (couple).
17 Star depressed when night falls (7)
SUNDOWN – SUN (our star) + DOWN (depressed).
18 Guy put into orbit (4,2)
SEND UP – Double definition.
20 Fit and busy, loving exercise from the outset (4)
ABLE – Initial letters of And Busy Loving Exercise [from the outset].
22 Island concealed in secret Eden (5)
CRETE – Hidden in seCRET Eden.
23 Snakes as an afterthought (4)
ASPS – AS + PS (an afterthought).