The solved grid
1G
A
2M
E
3R
4B
A
5T
I
6S
T
7E
U
E
E
R
T
N
8S
E
D
E
R
9S
A
I
L
I
N
G
T
U
U
U
P
C
O
10S
O
L
O
N
11S
N
O
O
K
E
R
L
P
L
G
12E
13A
T
14H
L
E
T
I
C
15S
E
X
O
C
M
16C
R
17I
C
K
E
T
18C
H
A
N
19T
I
L
I
E
L
R
E
20T
A
I
L
E
N
D
21U
N
T
I
E
E
A
S
M
L
T
22S
E
D
A
T
E
D
23P
S
Y
C
H
Across
1 Across Confused Marge becomes an esports fan (5) → GAMER Anagram
Anagram of “MARGE”.
4 Across Fine cotton fabric hidden in combat is terrific (7) → BATISTE Hidden word
Hidden inside “combat is terrific”.
8 Across Southeast, plus German article, gives a Passover feast (5) → SEDER Charade
SE + DER.
9 Across Sick, embraced by singing, means boating (7) → SAILING Container
AIL inside SING.
10 Across Spanish 'no los', turned around, is an ancient legislator (5) → SOLON Reversal
NO LOS reversed.
11 Across Hesitating after naming a fish gives the cue sport (7) → SNOOKER Charade
SNOOK + ER.
13 Across Chaotic talc heist forms track-and-field sports (9) → ATHLETICS Anagram
Anagram of “talc heist”.
16 Across An insect from a neck spasm with an alien (7) → CRICKET Charade
CRICK + ET.
18 Across Choirs have a nice tune initially, a rhythmic recitation (5) → CHANT Initialism
First letters of: choirs, have, a, nice, tune.
20 Across A late din, rearranged, describes the final stretch (4,3) → TAIL END Anagram
Anagram of “late din”.
21 Across Unfasten, as found in a gun tied to a post (5) → UNTIE Hidden word
Hidden inside “gun tied”.
22 Across Heading southeast, old-fashioned yet calmed down (7) → SEDATED Charade
SE + DATED.
23 Across Please stop your crazy hijinks initially, to prepare mentally (5) → PSYCH Initialism
First letters of: please, stop, your, crazy, hijinks.
Down
1 Down Sulfur trapped within nerve creates blasts of wind (5) → GUSTS Container
S inside GUTS.
2 Down A chaotic mud ell forms brainstem tissue (7) → MEDULLA Anagram
Anagram of “a mud ell”.
3 Down Really enjoyed running unusual nightclubs initially, a repeat broadcast (5) → RERUN Initialism
First letters of: Really, enjoyed, running, unusual, nightclubs.
5 Down Three with political science, briefly, is Libya's capital (7) → TRIPOLI Charade
TRI + POLI.
6 Down Adhere, or a slender baton (5) → STICK Double definition
Two separate definitions of the same word.
7 Down Wild George, having turned north, will overindulge (7) → ENGORGE Anagram
Anagram of “GEORGE N”.
9 Down Speed cuts rearranged mean presumed guilty (9) → SUSPECTED Anagram
Anagram of “SPEED CUTS”.
12 Down Former partner quoting sources thrills (7) → EXCITES Charade
EX + CITES.
14 Down Hidden in a hoki estate sale, most corny (7) → HOKIEST Hidden word
Hidden inside “hoki estate”.
15 Down A crafty sort holding a market behaves briskly (7) → SMARTLY Container
MART inside SLY.
17 Down Millennium missing its Swiss code becomes an ancient Greek epic (5) → ILIAD Deletion
CHILIAD without its initial CH.
18 Down Careless locals usually miss parties, initially a cluster (5) → CLUMP Initialism
First letters of: Careless, locals, usually, miss, parties.
19 Down Ornate ethics concealing dental structures (5) → TEETH Hidden word
Hidden inside “ornate ethics”.
How this puzzle was checked
Every clue in this crossword was verified against its own wordplay by
software, then the finished puzzle was read and edited by hand before
publication: definitions, indicators, enumerations and surface readings
all get looked at, and clues that don't hold up are rewritten. The
editorial standards set out what that
covers.
Spotted something wrong here? Email
badclues@decryptic.app and
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corrections policy.
