Author name: crosswordanswers

1-across – Extreme : HARDCORE

5-across – Spineless creature : WORM

9-across – American pie : PECAN

10-across – Very protective : JEALOUS

11-across – Specifically : PARTICULARLY

13-across – Sets aside : ALLOTS

14-across – Connecting punctuation mark : HYPHEN

17-across – Rags-to-riches tale : SUCCESSSTORY

20-across – Skin around a nail : CUTICLE

21-across – Pre-eminent : ELITE

22-across – Reverberate : ECHO

23-across – Immaculate : SPOTLESS

1-down – Bitter flavouring : HOPS

2-down – Uninhabited granite island in the North Atlantic : ROCKALL

3-down – Nicest county : CONSTITUENCY

4-down – Spurn : REJECT

6-down – Distinctive smell : ODOUR

7-down – Walking slowly : MOSEYING

8-down – London medical district : HARLEYSTREET

12-down – Attack in which many are killed : MASSACRE

15-down – Brave woman : HEROINE

16-down – Napping : ASLEEP

18-down – See – the ball game : CATCH

19-down – More alternative? : LESS

1-across – Racegoers’ viewpoint : GRANDSTAND

7-across – First night : OPENING

8-across – Closer to reality : TRUER

10-across – Soak up the sun : BASK

11-across – Distant : OUTLYING

13-across – Notice : DESCRY

15-across – Computer geek : TECHIE

17-across – Indirect : IMPLICIT

18-across – Lacking French : SANS

21-across – Theatre of Shakespeare : GLOBE

22-across – Refuse to abandon : CLINGTO

23-across – In my opinion : PERSONALLY

1-down – No one knows if it’s anyone’s : GUESS

2-down – House, rain or test : ACID

3-down – Football manager’s viewpoint : DUGOUT

4-down – Added up to : TOTALLED

5-down – Sustain : NOURISH

6-down – Having a sinister aspect : FORBIDDING

9-down – Backward movement : REGRESSION

12-down – Running shoes : TRAINERS

14-down – Let’s pretend : SUPPOSE

16-down – Means to keep food : TINCAN

19-down – Cross : ANGRY

20-down – Flour or paper producer : MILL

1-across – Retort : ANSWERBACK

7-across – To the point : RELEVANT

8-across – Pudding – not sweet : TART

9-across – Lacking in substance : THIN

10-across – Drain cover, say : GRATING

12-across – Work together : COLLABORATE

14-across – Virgin Mary : OURLADY

16-across – Downsides : CONS

19-across – Strike – rate : CLIP

20-across – Maritime : NAUTICAL

21-across – Of doubtful authenticity : APOCRYPHAL

1-down – Accomplished : ADEPT

2-down – Uncommon : SPECIAL

3-down – Testing experience : EXAM

4-down – American loo : BATHROOM

5-down – Be good enough : CUTIT

6-down – A Clockwork ____, Anthony Burgess novel and Stanley Kubrick film : ORANGE

11-down – Scornful : SARDONIC

12-down – They’re an item : COUPLE

13-down – Scrap : ABOLISH

15-down – Eagerly receive : LAPUP

17-down – Delay : STALL

18-down – Feeble : PUNY

1-across – Prank : JAPE

3-across – Special event : OCCASION

8-across – Give : DOLE

9-across – Airtight : HERMETIC

11-across – Description of an event, as it happens : COMMENTARY

14-across – La Marseillaise, perhaps : ANTHEM

15-across – Basic item : STAPLE

17-across – Clowning : TOMFOOLERY

20-across – One’s entirely genuine – first : ORIGINAL

21-across – Extremely – precise : VERY

22-across – Carry – body part : SHOULDER

23-across – Backing, big or boy? : BAND

1-down – Relating to legal proceedings : JUDICIAL

2-down – Multi-talented individual : POLYMATH

4-down – Be constructive : CREATE

5-down – Regard : ADMIRATION

6-down – A tiny amount : IOTA

7-down – Cave or Clegg? : NICK

10-down – Cinema role : CEREMONIAL

12-down – Items not meant to last : EPHEMERA

13-down – Emotional and naive : DEWYEYED

16-down – Wipe out : EFFACE

18-down – Flip : TOSS

19-down – Very fine pastry : FILO

1-across – Caveat : QUALIFICATION

8-across – Unclean air : SMOG

9-across – Eat it in the parlour : ICECREAM

10-across – Assertions designed to influence opinion : PROPAGANDA

12-across – Disguised – as a bride? : VEILED

14-across – Word order : SYNTAX

15-across – Pure : UNPOLLUTED

19-across – Drainage : GARDENIA

20-across – Calm before the storm : LULL

21-across – Inspector into : INTROSPECTION

2-down – High-class : UPMARKET

3-down – Helping hand : LEGUP

4-down – Decorated with tassels : FRINGED

5-down – Sweep or break : CLEAN

6-down – Countryside : TERRAIN

7-down – Country on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula : OMAN

11-down – Battle marking the end of the Napoleonic Wars : WATERLOO

13-down – Make : LAUNDER

14-down – Save from destruction : SALVAGE

16-down – Poor-quality – underwear : PANTS

17-down – Gloomy : UNLIT

18-down – First light : DAWN