A great little crossword, only the second from this setter, I think. Just enough uncommon vocabulary to encourage confidence in unscrambling the wordplay, and many devices that could be taken at least two different ways. Especially 11dn - my LOI - which provoked the sort of cognitive conflict that makes cryptics so enjoyable. Thanks to Breadman.
Definitions underlined.
|
| Across |
| 1 | Cleansing of felines concealing messy hairs (9) |
| CATHARSIS - CATS (felines) containing an anagram of (messy) HAIRS. |
| 6 | Predatory bird chopped fruit (3) |
| HAW - HAWk (predatory bird) missing last letter (chopped). |
| 8 | Fortified wine produced by one artist (7) |
| MADEIRA - MADE (produced), I (one), and RA (artist). |
| 9 | Long-tailed mammal, extremely lovable, with unusual back (5) |
| LEMUR - outside letters of (extremely) LoveablE, and RUM (unusual) backwards. |
| 10 | David's flier regularly seen somewhere in church (5) |
| AISLE - even letters from (regularly) dAvId’S fLiEr. |
| 12 | Worker entering lion's outbuilding (4-2) |
| LEAN-TO - ANT (worker) inside (entering) LEO (lion). |
| 14 | Unexpectedly, Tom ends fixed allowance, causing protest (13) |
| DEMONSTRATION - anagram of (unexpectedly) TOM ENDS, then RATION (fixed allowance). |
| 16 | Some having a tea, usually, and cake (6) |
| GATEAU - hidden in (some) havinG A TEA Usually. |
| 17 | In regret, go back for scamp (5) |
| ROGUE - reversal of (back) GO, inside RUE (regret). |
| 19 | Aggressively questioncooking device (5) |
| GRILL - double definition. |
| 20 | Ron must, having mixed favourite medicine (7) |
| NOSTRUM - anagram of (having mixed) RON MUST. |
| 22 | Start to enjoy the old organ (3) |
| EYE - first letter of (start to) Enjoy, and YE (archaic ‘the’, the old). |
| 23 | Dirty room disturbed people sleeping here? (9) |
| DORMITORY - anagram of (disturbed) DIRTY ROOM. |
|
| Down |
| 1 | Order nothing for special soldier (8) |
| COMMANDO - COMMAND (order) and O (nothing). |
| 2 | Initially take away drop: a small amount (3) |
| TAD - first letters of (initially) Take Away Drop. |
| 3 | Endure being tender in A&E (5) |
| ABIDE - BID (tender) inside A and E. |
| 4 | Mark allowed to take athlete's pulse in the garden? (7,6) |
| SCARLET RUNNER - SCAR (mark), LET (allowed), and RUNNER (athlete). |
| 5 | Concubine’s dried fruit (7) |
| SULTANA - double definition. |
| 6 | Poor actor on series is handicap (9) |
| HAMSTRING - HAM (poor actor) on STRING (series). |
| 7 | Twist fighting power (4) |
| WARP - WAR (fighting) and P (power). |
| 11 | Raise mum’s unusual present, briefly (9) |
| SUMMARISE - anagram of (unusual) RAISE MUM’S. |
| 13 | Peace-keepers appear over fifty years in poor taste (8) |
| UNSEEMLY - UN (peacekeepers), SEEM (appear), over L (fifty) and Y (years). |
| 15 | Junkie's equipment on end of road was irritating (7) |
| NEEDLED - NEEDLE (junkie’s equipment) on last letter (end) of roaD. |
| 17 | Swiss dish— it's gold when turned over (5) |
| ROSTI - IT’S OR (gold) reversed (when turned over). |
| 18 | Monstrous figure seen in fog recently (4) |
| OGRE - hidden in (seen in) fOG REcently. |
| 21 | Australian native’s short space (3) |
| ROO - ROOm (space) without last letter (short). |