1-across – Lines to learn,or something to take to the pharmacy : SCRIPT

4-across – Pugilists – pants : BOXERS

8-across – Hay blocks : BALES

9-across – Howl emotionally : ULULATE

10-across – One of the World Cup runners-up,2023 : LIONESS

11-across – Salts or Derby? : EPSOM

12-across – One at the top of the A-list : SUPERSTAR

17-across – Mirror,body or splitting : IMAGE

19-across – <span>Hapless </span><i>Hamlet</i><span> noblewoman</span> : OPHELIA

21-across – Derring-do : HEROICS

22-across – Pool,e.g. : SPORT

23-across – Fusible alloy for uniting metals : SOLDER

24-across – Workplace go-to senior colleague : MENTOR

1-down – Nuanced : SUBTLE

2-down – Deodorants with spheres : ROLLONS

3-down – Sheriff’s collection of helpers in a Western : POSSE

5-down – Let up on : OPULENT

6-down – Some are oral : EXAMS

7-down – Like some scenes and all working saunas : STEAMY

9-down – Light-hearted : UNSERIOUS

13-down – Childishly silly : PUERILE

14-down – Disallow : RULEOUT

15-down – Rags’ counterpart : RICHES

16-down – Persiflage or pleasantries : BANTER

18-down – Easter’s month,sometimes : APRIL

20-down – It makes waste,they tell us : HASTE

5-across – <span>The </span><i>Guardian</i><span>’s less reputable shelfmates</span> : GUTTERPRESS

7-across – e.g. guilder : COIN

8-across – One who’s barely running? : STREAKER

9-across – Planet 57.9m km from the Sun,on average : MERCURY

11-across – Porcine sister to Evie and George : PEPPA

13-across – Headgear for a para or a beatnik : BERET

14-across – <span>___ </span><i>Hill</i><span> : NOTTING

16-across – Italian form of ‘Joseph’ : GIUSEPPE

17-across – One of many north of the Forth and Clyde in Roman times : PICT

18-across – Fajita vegetable : GREENPEPPER

1-down – Alma mater for David Cameron and James Bond : ETON

2-down – Apt rhyme for ‘pleasure’ : LEISURE

3-down – Hybrid cutlery gismo : SPORK

4-down – Readiness for – or warning of – invasion or disaster : REDALERT

5-down – Greeting after the afternoon : GOODEVENING

6-down – Where to slumber on the move : SLEEPINGCAR

10-down – It includes a couple of knights : CHESSSET

12-down – ‘Come on,this is taking ___’ : FOREVER

15-down – Tired – paid out : SPENT

17-down – Vatican bigwig : POPE

5-across – The Bible has a good one : SAMARITAN

8-across – European – stick : POLE

9-across – Baker’s dozen : THIRTEEN

10-across – Alcove – rest time : RECESS

11-across – It has a solstice : SUMMER

13-across – Vehicle for a Time Lord : TARDIS

15-across – Ear-piercing yell : SHRIEK

16-across – E.g. second cousin once removed : RELATIVE

18-across – Goat in the mountains : IBEX

19-across – Not well educated : UNLEARNED

1-down – Be careful! – Pay attention! : TAKEHEED

2-down – Spiny succulent : CACTUS

3-down – Peaceful protests : SITINS

4-down – Angler’s wiggling worm,perhaps : BAIT

6-down – Like banana bread you make yourself : HOMEBAKED

7-down – Press it when you’ve typed a typo : DELETEKEY

12-down – Friend to Whitehouse and to Reeves : MORTIMER

14-down – Fancy evening event : SOIREE

15-down – ___ Nevada : SIERRA

17-down – Teenager’s woe : ACNE

1-across – Butterfly or cat : TORTOISESHELL

8-across – Plant’s coiling threadlike climbing organ : TENDRIL

9-across – ___-ski : APRES

10-across – Leave out : OMIT

11-across – Disgruntled destroyer : SABOTEUR

13-across – Putrefy : FESTER

14-across – A beret : BERATE

17-across – Remote – like some incidents? : ISOLATED

19-across – Top of a beer : FOAM

21-across – Baghdad resident,e.g. : IRAQI

22-across – Aberration : ANOMALY

24-across – Sneaky,secret or stealthy : SURREPTITIOUS

1-down – Brief sound of disapproval : TUT

2-down – <span>Vintage comedy </span><i>The Two</i><span> ___</span> : RONNIES

3-down – Fairy-tale baddie : OGRE

4-down – Brunei has one : SULTAN

5-down – Added salt – well-versed : SEASONED

6-down – Spine-tingling : EERIE

7-down – Intense ray of light : LASERBEAM

10-down – Verboten : OFFLIMITS

12-down – Unlike 23d : NEGATIVE

15-down – ‘Hero ingredient’ of guacamole : AVOCADO

16-down – Arrive’s antithesis : DEPART

18-down – Broadcasting now : ONAIR

20-down – Young uncastrated male horse : COLT

23-down – Positive response : YES

1-across – Chirping flier : CICADA

4-across – Fatty foodstuff found with fish : CHIPS

7-across – Fag end : DEFANG

8-across – Italian ice-cream : GELATO

9-across – Monkey,betel and macadamia,e.g. : NUTS

10-across – Overshadow : OUTSHINE

12-across – Arrange in orderly fashion : SYSTEMATISE

17-across – Generosity : LARGESSE

19-across – e.g. Mars’s Phobos : MOON

20-across – Is unable to : CANNOT

21-across – Dexterous : ADROIT

22-across – Cold vinegared rice with toppings : SUSHI

23-across – ___ mixer : CEMENT

1-down – Charming little dears : CHERUBS

2-down – Base frame of a car : CHASSIS

3-down – They think they’re helping : DOGOODERS

4-down – Pungent salad ingredient : CRESS

5-down – Right-leaning type? : ITALICS

6-down – Spade or scoop : SHOVEL

11-down – How a company is known : TRADENAME

13-down – Clothing with a branching seam : YFRONTS

14-down – Submerge : IMMERSE

15-down – Self-seeker : EGOTIST

16-down – Loosens – trousers : SLACKS

18-down – e.g. Face with tears of joy : EMOJI