By Jane Fitzpatrick AE
ACROSS
1 Hide on tree and make sound of cricket (7, 2, 6)
8 Saline waters take edges off disease (3)
9 Horse riders are newly arisen, embracing hunt (11)
11 Pens speech about ceremonial acts (5)
12 Jerk capturing wandering elephant (who lost direction) can read minds (10)
14 Beautiful young men like consuming Spanish chicken (7)
16 Theatre a clear source of cloying sweetness (7)
17 Riotous random band made plenty of record hits (3, 7)
20 Try hard to make Russian leader … (5)
21 … recreate his crooked betrayals (11)
22 Instrument starts unnerving kind entertainer (3)
23 People like Che upset our venial Tories (15)
DOWN
1 Result generates radiance (6)
2 Organised foreman notes a jack of all trades (1, 6, 2, 4)
3 Eldest let out if he first pays attention (5)
4 Money for 20 across when beaten or blue (6)
5 Most unpleasant tastes in cocktail (8)
6 Airs trite broadcast that annoys (9)
7 Smart mobile care for old-fashioned know-it-all (8)
10 Nail parachute manoeuvre – a real star! (5, 8)
13 Working together, cell engineered exploding cigar for use by church officials (9)
14 Kidnapper and muscle (8)
15 Settled matter when posted about small change (8)
18 Appearing white as snow, will Capone throw out zip? (6)
19 Let’s hang elsewhere to hide the good guys (6)
20 Please alleviate some testiness about toppings for Italian noodles (5)
SOLUTION
ACROSS 1 LEATHER ON WILLOW 8 SEA 9 EQUESTRIANS 11 RITES 12 TELEPATHIC 14 APOLLOS 16 TREACLE 17 DON BRADMAN 20 PUTIN 21 TREACHEROUS 22 UKE 23 REVOLUTIONARIES
DOWN 1 LUSTRE 2 A MASTER OF NONE 3 HEEDS 4 ROUBLE 5 NASTIEST 6 IRRITATES 7 WISEACRE 10 ALPHA CENTAURI 13 CLERGICAL 14 ABDUCTOR 15 SEDIMENT 18 ALBINO 19 ANGELS 20 PASTA