Top half much harder than bottom half for me, especially because the long phrase in 11 across was new to me.
Solving time, 25 mins
* = anagram
ACROSS
1 IN CUB A TOR Tricky – only got it near the end
11 LOVE’S YOUNG DREAM Eventually worked it out from the anagram (MY NERVOUS OLD AGE)*. Not sure if it’s a well-known phrase – a quick Google search turned up one of Moore’s Melodies and an association with Shirley Temple. Good surface.
13 LON(don) + ELY = see (a crossword staple – bishopric)
14 EX + CITED
19 BAN + AN + A Favourite clue
23 CHAR + T(erm)
24 ALTER + CAT + E (energy)
DOWN
1 HILLSIDE Excellent cryptic definition – last clue I solved. From the line of the song “We’ll keep a welcome in the hillside”.
3 PRUNE + LLA (ALL reversed)
8 C(O(duck)+V(very small)ES i.e. SEC = dry (reversed). Very tricky.
15 C + (Peter)HAIN + SAW Note the Conservative and politician are separate, so it does not have to be a Con politician.
16 DRACHMAE (ARCH MADE)* Greek currency now superseded by the euro. Plural can end in -e or -s or even -i, the anagram letters tell us which.
18 SH + IF before TIER (a row). Liked that.
20 B (second-rate) + OGOT A (A TOGO “on the up”)
22 D (diamonds – cards) + ICE (diamonds).
Did you spot HAPPY NEW YEAR top and bottom? Anyway thanks for the feedback
Was in a hotel on Sat night so took the opportunity to try a different Sunday paper puzzle. Completely missed the message. I’m pretty sure INCUBATOR went in last. Overall quite easy for a Don puzzle I thought. Favourite clue: 22A, with 4D a close second.
I also completely missed the message! Must look in every puzzle now!