So I'm typing this from Switzerland with a breathtaking mountain view and rather dodgy wi-fi, so fingers crossed it makes it through. Quite a straightforward offering today I think. There are some old chestnuts which may bore seasoned neutrinos, but they are a necessary part of the education of a beginner.
Last one in was 19ac. I didn't spot it was an anagram until an extended period of barking up other trees. Overall time 9min. I don't know about anyone else, but I couldn't even type the answers in in 2 minutes, let alone solve it as well. Not at this time in the morning anyway.
| Across |
| 1 | Troops from south coming in roaring drunk (8) |
| GARRISON - S (south) in ROARING anagrammed ('drunk') |
| 6 | Club one associated with Reagan? (4) |
| IRON - I + RON |
| 8 | Some returned from enchanted mountain (4) |
| ETNA - 'some' always sounds the hidden word alarm, in this case backwards ('returned') inside ENCHANTED |
| 9 | Exaggerates about deer (8) |
| OVERDOES - OVER + DOES (female deer) |
| 10 | Your setter’s maybe so exhausted! (3-5) |
| DOG-TIRED - hooray! The setter = dog thing! We haven't seen it for at least a day and a half. |
| 11 | Draw onexaggerated promotion (4) |
| PUFF - double definition |
| 13 | Language fashionable — impudence intended to be humorous (6-2-5) |
| TONGUE-IN-CHEEK - TONGUE (language) + IN (fashionable) + CHEEK (Impudence) |
| 16 | Ultimately, flood may soak the embankment (4) |
| DYKE - last letters of flooD maY soaK thE |
| 17 | Labourers going around spotted tools (8) |
| HANDSAWS - HANDS (labourers) arranged around SAW |
| 19 | Stuff on computer mistaken for waste (8) |
| SOFTWARE - anagram ('mistaken') of FOR WASTE |
| 21 | Tip from Times, after copy (4) |
| APEX - APE (copy) + X (times). 'Times' can also be 'BY', "TT", or refer to the paper. |
| 22 | An advantage being very rich, mostly (4) |
| PLUS - most of PLUSH ('very rich') |
| 23 | Defy hail, working in farmer’s meadow? (8) |
| HAYFIELD - anagram ('working') of DEFY HAIL |
| Down |
| 2 | Interest in stars of the future? (9) |
| ASTROLOGY - cryptic definition. |
| 3 | Cater for reform, and respond (5) |
| REACT - anagram ('for reform') of CATER |
| 4 | Small firm with drive is a great menace (7) |
| SCOURGE - S (small) + CO (firm) + URGE (drive) |
| 5 | Very much a lack of purpose (2,3) |
| NO END - double definition |
| 6 | Pint he’d prepared, being thorough (2-5) |
| IN-DEPTH - anagram ('prepared') of PINT HE'D |
| 7 | Lines up in the dormitory (3) |
| ODE - another backwards hidden word - thE DOrmitary |
| 12 | Deliver something needed for steering to coast (9) |
| FREEWHEEL - FREE (deliver, verb) + WHEEL |
| 14 | Goth set out for slum areas (7) |
| GHETTOS - anagram ('out') of GOTH SET |
| 15 | Artilleryman losing head in New York convent (7) |
| NUNNERY - Only one synonym for convent, really. Wordplay is GUNNER, losing the G, inside NY |
| 17 | Old PM displaying intense feeling with husband (5) |
| HEATH - HEAT + H (husband). |
| 18 | Second volunteer army is raised for secret police (5) |
| STASI - S (second) TA (volunteer army) SI ('is' raised, i.e. upside down). 'Volunteers' always means TA, even though the regular army are all volunteers as well. |
| 20 | Loud cry from Cockney bird (3) |
| OWL - Cockneys drop their aitches - (H)OWL. |