Not too difficult today. Solving time, 16 mins
* = anagram
ACROSS
10 BUTTONED UP Double definition
11 AN (G) ORA (k)
17 BEST OWER
21 CIVIL (I) TIES I = electric current
22 CORK Double definition
23 IS OLD (getting on) E
DOWN
2 RAVEN Double definition
3 CON (against = not giving support) SON ANT
4 IN BLACK AND WHITE Entered it immediately from the definition “Clearly stated” and the enumeration but I do not understand the wordplay “how women have appeared in West End productions” (Thanks, rightback, for explaining this in comment 3 below – that’s quite good)
5 Gloria EST (is in French) E FAN
6 AROMATHERAPISTS (Paris star at home)*
7 ODE ON(e) Typical cinema ode = episode (Not so – Thanks, Conrad, for explaining that this is a hidden: EpisODE ONe (abridged) so you deserve to appear in the crossword – 22 ac)
8 Penelope CRUZ E(I)ROS
16 FOR MING
20 TUR(n) IN Collins confirms turn = walk (noun)
nmsindy – not sure I understand your comments on 7 down. It’s just a hidden word isn’t it? Abridged ‘episode one’.
I struggled with this more than yesterday’s! I’d not come across 10ac meaning ‘tense’ before, or ‘raven’ meaning ‘hunt’, and 8d was quite tricky…
I’ve never thought of an anorak as a jacket – always thought of them as coats (that we’d be routinely forced to wear as children during wet summer holidays, despite them being completely ineffectual, and sweaty / uncomfortable to boot…) Notice, though, that Collins and Chambers both define it as ‘jacket’. Mmmm…
Is 4d a reference to the type of costume a dancer might wear in a musical – I’m thinking of the female tuxedo / top hat and tails look, with tights instead of trousers???
I think 4dn refers to The Woman in Black and The Woman in White, both West End shows.
‘Raven’ = ‘hunt’ was new to me too.