Weekend Quick Cryptic 155 - 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 with the clues click the label below.

Hints and tips...

Here are a few hints and tips.

• In 9A "reduced by 25%" means remove the fourth letter.
• The Greek character in 13A is a letter from the Greek alphabet.
• The answer to 22A can refer to a colony of birds or of seals.
• "Macron's" in 2D indicates you need to find two French words to combine to get the answer.
• Domino in the 3D refers to an American singer/songwriter. You need his first name.
• 15D is a triple definition.
• "On the radio" in 17D indicates a homophone (i.e. something that sound slike).

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 Nuts I chewed in African city (5)
TUNIS – (Nuts I)* [chewed].
4 Away team can't score a goal here (7)
OFFSIDE – OFF (away) + SIDE (team).
8 Chap with headgear and a healthy glow here in New York (9)
MANHATTAN – MAN (chap) + HAT (headgear) + TAN (healthy glow).
9 Charge for grain reduced by 25% (3)
FEE – FEE{d} (grain) without the 4th letter [reduced by 25%].
10 Bird Oswald regularly takes out (3)
OWL – Alternate letters of [regularly takes out] OsWaLd.
11 Have a liking for being at liberty and without obligation (5-4)
FANCY-FREE – FANCY (have a liking for) + FREE (being at liberty).
12 One defeated in polo series (5)
LOSER – Hidden in poLO SERies.
13 Character from Greece returned share in full (5)
UNCUT – NU (Greek alphabet letter; character from Greece) [returned] -> UN + CUT (share).
16 As sliding is represented in musical directions (9)
GLISSANDI – (As sliding)* [is represented].
18 Make lace - it's of little value (3)
TAT – Double definition.
20 Beverage hidden by estate agent (3)
TEA – Hidden in estaTE Agent.
21 Tool to bring into use (9)
IMPLEMENT – Double definition.
22 Birds or seals can be found here (7)
ROOKERY – A sort of double definition – a ROOKERY can be a colony of rooks or seals.
23 American returned his poorly prepared Japanese dish (5)
SUSHI – US (American) [returned] -> SU + (his)* [poorly prepared].
 
Down
1 Casual worker gets nothing for speed (5)
TEMPO – TEMP (casual worker) + O (round letter; 0; nothing).
2 Macron's refusal to accept more is to cause bewilderment (7)
NONPLUS – NON (French for No; refusal to accept) + PLUS (French for more).
3 Domino returns by car to British region - one in the Midlands (13)
STAFFORDSHIRE – FATS (Fats Domino, American singer/songwriter) [returns] -> STAF + FORD (car) + SHIRE (British region).
4 Sailor on watch over foreign point of call (6)
OSTEND – OS (Ordinary Seaman; sailor) + TEND (watch over).
5 Comedy as a profession? That's a bit dodgy! (5,8)
FUNNY BUSINESS – Double definition.
6 Suggest big blaze? No. no! (5)
INFER – INFER{no} (big blaze) with no NO.
7 First lady to take it easy - it's a high spot (7)
EVEREST – EVE (first lady) + REST (take it easy).
12 Bishop leaving cheeky beggar's barge (7)
LIGHTER – {b}LIGHTER (cheeky beggar) without the B (bishop).
14 Charlie to speak on small ships (7)
CUTTERS – C (Charlie in the phonetic alphabet) + UTTER (speak) + S (small).
15 Fast and irritable like a crocodile? (6)
SNAPPY – Triple definition.
17 On the radio your setter was equipped for weeding location in America (5)
IDAHO – Sounds like, [on the radio], I’D A HOE  (your setter was equipped for weeding)
19 In unison make disapproving sound when Congress rises (5)
TUTTI – TUT (make disapproving sound) + IT (sexual congress0 [rises] -> TI.