Weekend Quick Cryptic 153 - 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 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 with the clues or finding the Nina, click the label below.

Hints and tips...

Here are a few hints and tips.

• In 4A you need the shape not the gemstone.
• Think of hippotamuses in 8A
• In 18A "used to be called" refers to a woment before she was married.
• In 3D pay attention to the punctuation.
• 19D uses a poetic word for "before".

As for the Nina. Well if you are a regular viewer of the TimesforTheTimes Quick Cryptic blog and read the comments on these Weekend Quick Cryptics you might be able to spot it. It is related to a challenge made on Sawbill's  previous Weekend Quick Cryptic  - No 150..

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 Record lives in Washington (4)
DISC – IS (lives) in DC (Washington).
4 Old doctor in mad rush to get diamond (7)
RHOMBUS – O (old) + MB (bachelor of medicine; doctor) in [mad] (rush)*.
8 Roll about with everyone on weed at first (6)
WALLOW – W (with) + ALL (everyone) + first letters of On Weed.
9 Edward holding pot made on lathe (6)
TURNED – URN (pot) in TED (Edward).
10 Child to get nothing without having to wait (4)
SOON – SON (child) including [to get] O (0; nothing).
11 Reels end badly - they could make you angry (8)
NEEDLERS – (reels and)* [badly].
12 Partly assemble military insignia (6)
EMBLEM – Hidden in, [partly], assEMBLE Military.
14 Drama unfolding next to a fleet (6)
ARMADA – (Drama)* [unfolding] + A.
16 Scream as revolutionary causes a lot of killing (8)
MASSACRE – (scream as)* [revolutionary].
18 'Requirement' used to be called 'demand', originally (4)
NEED – NEE (maiden name of; used to be called) + first letter of Demand [originally].
20 Compound of aluminium, potassium and primarily lithium (6)
ALKALI – AL (chemical symbol of Aluminium) + K (chemical symbol of potassium) + first letter of And [primarily] +  LI (chemical symbol of Lithium).
21 Printer at home needing last bit of pink and black (3,3)
INK JET – IN (at home) + last letter of pinK + JET (black).
22 Hang puss up by tail (7)
SUSPEND – (puss)* [up] + END (tail).
23 Legal documents picked up in hotel (4)
RITZ – Sounds like, [picked up], WRITS (legal documents).
 
Down
2 I had a small house somewhere in America (5)
IDAHO – I’D (I had) + A + HO (abbreviation of, i.e. small, house).
3 Army officer: the Spanish being subordinate (7)
COLONEL – COLON (:) + EL (the in Spanish).
4 Gym equipment – one causing arguments? (6,7)
ROWING MACHINE – Double definition, the second a cryptic hint.
5 We're agreed - if most men head off (2,3,4,4)
OF THE SAME MIND – (if most men head)* [off].
6 Woman caught up in July rebellion (5)
BERYL – Reverse hidden in [caught up in] JuLY REBellion.
7 Seen red unfortunately and showed contempt (7)
SNEERED – (Seen red)* [unfortunately].
13 Complaint may be spotted (7)
MEASLES – Cryptic definition.
15 Name Lewinsky heard (7)
MONIKER – Sounds like MONICA (name) [heard].
17 The front of some vehicles shows signs of damage (5)
SCARS – First letter, [front], of Some + CARS (vehicles).
19 Standing up straight before court (5)
ERECT – ERE (poetic word for before) + CT (court).

The Nina is in some of the unchecked across squares and a couple of down squares. It reads DOOFENSCHMIRTZ, the pseudonym of one of the Times Quick Cryptic bloggers on TimesforTheTimes. Well done Sawbill for getting that in!.