CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS 1. Animal doctor accepts no slit in the back of a jacket (4) 4. Chance of a car crash? (8) 8. Hit by truck going to south (6) 9. Annoys poor Tess on up (6) 10. I ram back into precious metal flower (8) 12. Little stirring spoon. Oh dear! (4) 13. Tea, we hear, and embrace for ruffian (4) 15. Plane is a shade black (3) 16. Boy carries Dad’s first trunk (4) 17. Stop part of flower (4) 19. Enact ace manoeuvre for whale or dolphin (8) 21. Hot pepper said to be cold (6) 22. Struggle into middle of best river (6) 23. Surgeon catches tail of biggest fish (8) 24. Spy small skin blemish (4) DOWN 2. In addition to crowdscene actor (5) 3. Out again with band, playing a string of concerts (7) 4. Demand to remove top of mask (3) 5. Outed pact moving for violent takeover of government (4,1’4) 6. Sid returns to company in ’70s nightclub (5) 7. And poet wrote again on jotter (7) 11. I’ve to disapprove target (9) 14. Chet puts on cap when given the axe (7) 16. Male deer and sheep produce stiff cloth (7) 18. 24 Across are, we hear, producing tooth (5) 20. Blacksmith’s tool seen in Tuscan village (5) 22. Star’s noisy boy (3)