Weekend Quick Cryptic 163 - 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 with the clues click the label below.

Hints and tips...

Here are a few hints and tips.

• The theme is spelled out in 1A and 3A. Thematic answers are coloured red in the explanations below.
• The principality in 8A is not Monaco but closer to home for your compilers here.
• The tie in 14A is not a bit of clothing.
• The fiddler at 19A fiddle while Rome burned.
• The cardinals in 24A are numerals.
• 'The' is part of the charade for 5D.
• In 6D the sign is of the zodiac.

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 Beverage is something that gives a buzz, right? (4)
BEER – BEE (something that gives a buzz) + R (right).
3 Fave list compiled for celebration (8)
FESTIVAL – (fave list)* [compiled].
8 Brews from principality having no head (4)
ALES – {w}ALES (principality) without the first letter [having no head].
9 Raced to become newspaper top dog after succession of jobs (8)
CAREERED – ED (editor; newspaper top dog) [after] CAREER (succession of jobs].
11 Framework order is about right (7)
TRELLIS – TELL (order) + IS [about] R (right).
12 Tubby finally arrests illegal ticket-seller (5)
STOUT – Last letter [finally] of arrestS + TOUT (illegal ticket seller).
13 Cold drink (6)
BITTER – Double definition.
14 Light-coloured tie worn by Liberal European (6)
BLONDE – BOND (tie) outside [worn by] L (Liberal) + E (European).
17 Warning sign "Room has no labels on taps" (5)
AMBER – {ch}AMBER without the labels C and H on the taps.
19 Tiresome old fiddler sues regularly (7)
ONEROUS – O (old) NERO (emperor who fiddled while Rome burned; fiddler) + alternate letters [regularly] of sUeS.
21 A job at temple in the end for one no longer believing (8)
APOSTATE – A + POST (job) + AT + last letter of templE [in the end].
22 Lacking colour from returning relapse (4)
PALE – Reverse [returning] hidden [from] in rELAPse
23 Type of Indian cuisine and root I cooked (8)
TANDOORI – (And root I)* [cooked]. Combine the highlighted word with 22A and 8A for the thematic answer.
24 Four Roman cardinals come together for a tipple (4)
MILD – M + I + L + D (four Roman numerals; cardinals).
 
Down
1 Greatest boxing a brute (5)
BEAST – BEST (greatest) outside [boxing] A.
2 Water or what might heat it? (7)
ELEMENT – Double definition the second a cryptic hint.
4 Slip away drifting asleep (6)
ELAPSE – [drifting] (asleep)*.
5 They are the first and last of mischievous Santa's helpers (10)
THEMSELVES – THE + first and last letters of MischievouS + ELVES (Santa’s helpers).
6 Sign of river passing through Spanish city (5)
VIRGO – R (river) in [passing through] VIGO (Spanish city).
7 Ted et al run wild - and so does she! (7)
LADETTE – (Ted et al)* [run wild].
10 Piece of music arranged to greet all (10)
ALLEGRETTO – [Arranged] (to greet all)*.
13 Initially blackguard's lies and tricks are not terribly obvious (7)
BLATANT – An acrostic [initially] from Blackguard’s Lies And Tricks Are Not Terribly.
15 Reformed inane Oz right-wing extremist (3-4)
NEO-NAZI – [reformed] (inane Oz)*.
16 Journalist not about to become bag-carrier (6)
PORTER – {re}PORTER (journalist) without [not] the RE (about).
18 Eyebrow naturally not entirely one colour (5)
BROWN – Hidden in [not entirely] eyeBROW Naturally.
20 Son went to race (5)
SPEED – S (son) + PEED (went).