Unusual one, this. When I saw the small number of cells around the perimeter and the unusual grid (with 360 degree symmetry, I think), I thought ‘Nina’, but the only one I can find is the second half of 20 across. Not too hard a puzzle, solving time, 20 mins. One where I do not see the wordplay, 17 down, though I’ve confirmed on the website that the answer is correct.
* = anagram
ACROSS
6 TEMPORARINESS (Steamier porn’s)*
8 Edna O’ (BRIE) N
9 EXE (MP LA) R From EXERtion, I think, tho EXERcise also came to mind.
10 HERO Hero and Leander from Greek mythology.
11 B ROOM
13 NUD(g)E Did anyone else first write in BARE, from BAR(g)E?
14/22A MODERATION IN ALL THINGS (Aristotle in longhand I’m)* Long anagram that took a while to work out – setter must have been pleased to discover the letters contained Aristotle.
18 D INKY
19 FOO(d) L
16/20 A NN A KARENINA (an area ink)* Tolstoy classic novel.
23 NEUROVASCULA R (corneas uvula)*
DOWN
1 OMNIVORE (Moon Rive)*
2 TO(W)N
3 CALEDONIAN CANAL (inland cloaca nae)* Definition and enumeration made this quite easy
4 LI(F)E
5 WE A Purple ON
6 TABLE MOUNT A IN
7 SCAN DA (L MO) NGER
11 B(L)AND
12 M (ONE)Y
15 N (O-FR) ILLS (for)*
17 AVENUE “Means of accessing article about avoiding tax” Definition: means of accessing, I guess, but I don’t see the rest.
21 I R ON
22 TACO hidden
Hi NMS
17d is A (article) [re]VENUE (about avoiding tax)
I found this quite tough, but almost got there – AVENUE’s wordplay eluded me too, and I failed on ANNA KARENINA although the clue is clearly fine.
I see what you mean, nms.
There is actually another Nina in 14ac. and a few more “almost” (eg.3d.)
Is there something going on here?…
Count another here for confidently putting in BARE for 13A. Indelibly chiselled into the fabric of the paper. BAR(g)E is a perfectly good answer, except that it doesn’t fit. I needed all the other crossing letters of 5D and 7D before the penny dropped. Also had “Toleration in all things” and wondered why the anagram didn’t work till laboriously fishing out the differences.
Thanks for the explanation of Avenue wordplay – last one I got purely from the definition.
NB You left out
18A D INKY
19A FOO(d) L
Understandable – that Anna Karenina is enough to put anyone asleep
It occurs to me that Phi may have added his comment to the expectation in some quarters that every puzzle should contain a “Nina”. This puzzle contains one, as did the paintings which inspired the word as a crossword technical term.
“Moderation in all things.”