No 12434, Saturday 29 Sep 2018, xChequer

All the best to the participants of the IXL which starts tomorrow

Across

7. Defence mechanism of trees spreading a bit like canopies (6) ABATIS {A{A+BIT*}S}
8. Though fallible at times, appeal should succeed (6) ALBEIT {fAlLiBlE}{IT}
10. Rough time, a displaced person has to go through a lot (3,5) BAD PATCH {B{A}{DP}ATCH}
11. Very wise saving one's face (6) VISAGE {V}{I}{SAGE}
12. Public off limits here? Yes, private (5) INNER {INN}{hERe}
14. Named by shape of nose and mouth, scarcely confusing the naked eye (7) ONYMOUS  {NOSE+MOUTH-THE+eYe*}
15. Dense forest ultimately saved honest outlaw kept under duress (4,2,3,6) SLOW ON THE UPTAKE {foresT} removed from  {HONEST+OUTLAW+KEPT*}
18. Teach, say if my so-called teacher withholds answer (7) CORSAIR {COR}{S{A}IR} Teach = COURSER
19. Yankee used for American in outdated manner (5) STYLE {ST(-a+Y}LE}
20. Proceeds to present trick (4-2) TAKE-IN (DD?)
21. A meeting around the beginning of each quarter may be sufficient (8) ADEQUATE {A}{D]{Each}{QU}TE} {A}{D]{Each}{QU}ATE} See comments
23. Greek facility producing lubricant (6) GREASE {GR}{EASE}
24. School philosophy to provide a break (6) SCHISM {SCH}{ISM}

Down

1. Magnificent friend with a wagging tail (8) PALATIAL {PAL}{A}{TAIL*}
2. Premier athletic club elevated in group (4) CAMP {PM}{AC}<=
3. Fighting like a cornered rat, in poor shape when out of this (6) KILTER {LIKE+RaT*}
4. Statement to court: 'Debt closed, zero liability at bank' (1,4,3) I LOVE YOU {I {LOVE} {liabilitY}OU}
5. Fresh infusion of malt, in short, fit for airing (10) NEWSWORTHY {NEW}{S{WORT}HY}
6. Short-term investors adopting electronic platforms (6) STAGES {STAG{E}S}
9. Weather hot and dry, close to unbearable heat recently (3,5,3) THE OTHER DAY {HOT+DRY+unbearablE+HEAT*}
13. New over, no runs, wasted last chance (3,2,5) NOW OR NEVER {NEW+OVER+NO+R*}
16. Graceful appearance in new shift and cape (8) NEATNESS {N}{EAT}{NESS}
17. Raising issue, take a quick look to observe tempo (4,4) KEEP TIME {EMIT}{PEEK}<=
18. Storm toll (6) CHARGE (DD)
19. Hum with soprano leading number at church (6) STENCH {S}{TEN}{CH}
22. Entity incompetent, spent force (4) UNIT {UNfIT}

Reference List
Appeal=It, Displaced Person=DP, Very=V, One=I, My=Cor, Answer=A, Yankee=Y, American=A, Quarter=Qu, Greek=Gr, School=Sch
Premier=PM, Athletic Club=AC, Debt=IOU, Zero=Love, Electronic=E, Runs=R, New=N, Soprano=S, Church=Ch, Force=F

Colour/Font Scheme

Definition, Solution, Component letters, Embedded links, Theme word,  Anagram Indicator, C/C indicator, Reversal Indicator, Hidden word Indicator, Letter Pick indicator, Deletion Indicator, Homophone Indicator, Movement Indicator, Positional Indicator, Substitution, Indicator, Link/Connector, Extraneous

GRID