I find Quixote the easiest of the Indy setters – I solved this in 11 mins. I recommend it, along with Everyman in the Observer, to those thinking of first dipping their toes in the waters of the cryptic puzzle.
* = anagram < = reversed
ACROSS
5 A (RO) USER OR< men = other ranks
7 C(a)RE TAN
8 EC (LA) IR rice<
9 BO (ROUGH) S(s)
10 KEEP ONES HAND IN
13 STUN TED
15 P (REV I) EW Rev = Book of Revelations (New Testament)
17 IN LOCO PARENTIS (oral inspection)* From Latin (in the place of a parent)
20 STUB BORN(e) 8O% = four letters out of five
22 ANTHEM Hidden
23 ARRACK “A rack” Yet to come across this in ‘real life’ but know it well from puzzles.
24 ALIMONY Cryptic definition
DOWN
1 SOLAR PA NEL (parasol)* Len<
2 ESTRANGE (gents are)*
3 BEAU “Bow”
4 CASH ON DELIVERY (Vehicles on yard)*
5 ANCIENT HISTORY (No Christian yet)* &lit Very clever anagram as that history would be from the pre-Christian era, I guess.
6 R OBEs
7 CURIA (A1 RUC)< “once” as RUC now replaced by PSNI
11 HIP Double definition
12 DI VI NATION Excellent surface reading
14 DU(e) O
16 RA RA AVIS Two indications of reversal (a r a r)< (Siva)<
18 C ROOK c = caught (cricket)
19 PANG A
21 BE(A)D