The Hindu Crossword 2606 Solutions

Across
1 Frequent public house (11) COMMONPLACE (public=COMMON, house=PLACE => COMMON+PLACE)
7 Spring from rafter? Not quite (3) SPA (rafter=SPAR=>rafter? Not quite = SPAR-R)
9 For example, it may be served with piece of gammon (3) EGG (For example=EG, piece of gammon=G)
10 One bringing an action in court about flat in country (11) COMPLAINANT (court=CT,flat=PLAIN, country=OMAN=>flat in country=OMPLAINAN=>court about flat in country = C(OMPLAINAN)T)
11 Of incalculable value, diamonds left in cupboard (9) PRICELESS (diamonds=ICE, left=L, cupboard=PRESS=>diamonds left in cupboard = PR(ICE+L)ESS)
12 Greek character identified from epithet? Aristotle (5) THETA (Container => epiTHET Aristotle)
13 Sob, drunk, by counter, and disparage one's own products (3,8,4) CRY STINKING FISH (Sob=CRY, drunk=STINKING, counter=FISH??)
16 Bird deafening a pilot, when flying (3-6,6) FAN-TAILED PIGEON (deafening a pilot, when flying = ana. DEAFENING+A+PILOT)
17 Difficult and problematic drunk (5) TIGHT (Dbl Def)
19 Cartoon cat — terribly sly match, by the sound of it (9) SLYVESTER (terribly sly=SYL, match=VESTER??)
21 Comfort found by Saracen? Sure, in the wars (11) REASSURANCE (Saracen? Sure, in the wars = ana. SARACEN+SURE)
22 Bird, domesticated one with head chopped off (3) OWL (domesticated one=FOWL=>domesticated one with head chopped off = FOWL-F)
23 Pompous person in gas station (3) ASS (Container => gAS Station)
24 Be aware of Dutch painter going round steamship for no reason (11) SENSELESSLY (Be aware of=SENSE, Dutch painter=LELY, steamship=SS=>Dutch painter going round steamship=LE(SS)LY => SENSE+LESSLY)

Down
1 Contemptible fellow importing Ecstasy (5) CREEP (??)
2 One may help one get a better image (10,5) MAGNIFYING GLASS (Cryptic Def)
3 Its members should know the score (9) ORCHESTRA (Cryptic Def)
4 The plant associated with Blakeney? (9) P_M_E_N_L
5 Book, in the end reduced (5) ATLAS (in the end=AT LAST=>in the end reduced = AT LAST-T)
6 Novelist could make fortune penning one after end of course (5) ELIOT (fortune=LOT, one=I=>fortune penning one=LOT enclosing I(pen as in enclosure)=L(I)OT, end of coursE=E => E+LIOT)
7 Instructions produced since trio recast (5,10) STAGE DIRECTIONS (produced=STAGED, since trio recast=ana. SINCE+TRIO=IRECTIONS => STAGED+IRECTIONS)
8 Almost lost governor in Russian city (9) ASTRAKHAN (lost=ASTRAY=>Almost lost=ASTRA, governer=KHAN => ASTRA+KHAN)
13 Face irate criminal in self-service restaurant (9) CAFETERIA (Face irate criminal = ana. FACE+IRATE)
14 No decline, possibly, in sloth (9) INDOLENCE (No decline, possibly = ana. NO+DECLINE)
15 Piece written about one standing over grave, having lost son (legendary character) (9)
18 Jobs — first of tinkers seeks information (5) TASKS (first of Tinkers=T, seeks information=ASKS => T+ASKS)
19 Father given new alarm (5) SIREN (Father=SIRE, new=N=>Father given new = SIRE+N)
20 Runs over friend in motoring event (5) RALLY (Runs=R(from cricket), friend=ALLY=>Runs over friend = R+ALLY)