Author name: crosswordanswers

1-across – Woody plant with multiple stems : BUSH

3-across – Heat-resistant fibrous fabric : ASBESTOS

8-across – Defined area : ZONE

9-across – Not guilty : INNOCENT

11-across – Dog – shrew logic : WELSHCORGI

14-across – Withdraw opinion : RECANT

15-across – Accompany : ESCORT

17-across – Shrink’s area of expertise : PSYCHIATRY

20-across – Crowded : POPULOUS

21-across – Tibetan leader : LAMA

22-across – Inaccurately convey : MISSTATE

23-across – Pale : PEAL

1-down – Current : BUZZWORD

2-down – Liquid protecting lover of rays : SUNBLOCK

4-down – Nosier : SENIOR

5-down – I’ll stop right there! : ENOUGHSAID

6-down – Come down hard : TEEM

7-down – Eats : SATE

10-down – I’m very grateful : THANKSALOT

12-down – Housebuyer’s debt : MORTGAGE

13-down – Triangular sheet on ship – I say salt : STAYSAIL

16-down – Find not guilty : ACQUIT

18-down – Tinned meat : SPAM

19-down – Work : OPUS

1-across – Leap from plane : PARACHUTEJUMP

8-across – Vehicle, black in London, yellow in NY : TAXI

9-across – Formal : TAILCOAT

10-across – Hugely consequential : MONUMENTAL

12-across – Damned : CURSED

14-across – Character raised by apes – virile man : TARZAN

15-across – Social runt : ULTRASONIC

19-across – Fragments of exploding shells : SHRAPNEL

20-across – Winter Olympics sport : LUGE

21-across – Post held by Cooper, May, Straw, Morrison : HOMESECRETARY

2-down – Of pre-digital timers : ANALOGUE

3-down – Cheerio : ADIEU

4-down – Impulsive type : HOTHEAD

5-down – Dance – change in plot : TWIST

6-down – Humorous : JOCULAR

7-down – Atom : MOAT

11-down – Feign sickness : MALINGER

13-down – Wurst, eg : SAUSAGE

14-down – Fishing ship : TRAWLER

16-down – Hint : TINGE

17-down – Baby tawny bird : OWLET

18-down – Sling your hook! : SHOO

1-across – Prestige – position : STATUS

4-across – One connects computers to the internet : MODEM

7-across – Population survey : CENSUS

8-across – Confound : BAFFLE

9-across – Advantage : EDGE

10-across – Upright : VERTICAL

12-across – Uppermost in : PRESUMPTION

17-across – One’s on the payroll : EMPLOYEE

19-across – Bad habit : VICE

20-across – Become fixed : OSSIFY

21-across – Arched part of the foot : INSTEP

22-across – Damaging – and false – rumour : SMEAR

23-across – Second drink downed : CHASER

1-down – Go faster : SPEEDUP

2-down – Plain and simple : AUSTERE

3-down – Distasteful : UNSAVOURY

4-down – Supposed : MEANT

5-down – Actual : DEFACTO

6-down – Stereotypical Guardian-reader’s breakfast? : MUESLI

11-down – Top up : REPLENISH

13-down – Sharp comeback : RIPOSTE

14-down – Provides financial backing : INVESTS

15-down – Family or fuel? : NUCLEAR

16-down – Negative emotions : DEMONS

18-down – Tender – overture : OFFER

1-across – Someone to bounce ideas off : SOUNDINGBOARD

8-across – So-called : TITULAR

9-across – : AEGIS

10-across – Puff – a bit of tobacco : PLUG

11-across – Move like Bill ‘Bojangles’ Robinson : TAPDANCE

13-across – Act : BEHAVE

14-across – Go for it : LETRIP

17-across – Lacking confidence : INSECURE

19-across – Industrial region in western Germany : RUHR

21-across – A lot of fuss : HOOHA

22-across – Alive : ANIMATE

24-across – Deserving censure : REPREHENSIBLE

1-down – Drunk : SOT

2-down – Falsehood : UNTRUTH

3-down – In the proper fashion : DULY

4-down – Ordinary : NORMAL

5-down – Box-fresh : BRANDNEW

6-down – Noble gas, used in Geiger counters : ARGON

7-down – Viral disease affecting dogs and other animals : DISTEMPER

10-down – William Randolph Hearst, for instance : PUBLISHER

12-down – Clear out : EVACUATE

15-down – Actors say it when pretending to chat : RHUBARB

16-down – Source of lubrication : GREASE

18-down – Pry : SNOOP

20-down – One’s not a hit : MISS

23-down – Open it and see : EYE

5-across – Plausible, but unsound, argument : SOPHISTRY

8-across – Soften : MELT

9-across – Unnecessary adornment : FRIPPERY

10-across – Uncommon occurrence : RARITY

11-across – Polish city on the Baltic Sea : GDANSK

13-across – Take in – summary : DIGEST

15-across – Rupture : BREACH

16-across – Consequences : OUTCOMES

18-across – 1981 film directed by and starring Warren Beatty : REDS

19-across – Not fully cooked : UNDERDONE

1-down – Slowcoach : TORTOISE

2-down – Devious-looking : SHIFTY

3-down – Making demands : ASKING

4-down – Finish filming : WRAP

6-down – Use of Iran : NEFARIOUS

7-down – Black or white tie, for instance : DRESSCODE

12-down – Not normal : ABERRANT

14-down – Change something without permission : TAMPER

15-down – Next to : BESIDE

17-down – Humbug : CANT