Cryptic Crossword 1-15

Theme: Card games

Across

7 Malice, despite (def), backing (reversal), the leaders (acrostic), rest is fodder

8 Klondike, KL (heartlessly kill i.e., remove middle letters), on (operating), dike (head), game (def)

9 Alter ego, not right (anagram of) e (serve last i.e., last letter in) + lager + to, friend (def)

10 Spider, game (def), writeup (reversal), re (about), dips (dunks)

11 The clock, the (article), on the (juxtaposition), l (money), in (insertion), cock (angling), game (def)

12 Anthem, spiritual (def), anathema (ban), mostly (delete the last letter), not (deletion of), a (accepted)

13 Restructure, RE (engineers), repaired (anagram of) cu (copper) + strut, re (again), organize it differently (def)

18 Bridge, B (British), ridge (crest), game (def)

20 Wretched, WR (skirts of wrangler i.e., 1^st and last letters), etched (branded), cheap (def)

22 Sevens, “despite … was” (fodder), some (hidden), game (def)

23 Iniquity, in (at home), I quit (I give up), y (any last), vice (def)

24 Baccarat, tar (jack), a (a), c (sea), cab (taxi), revolutionary (reversal), game (def)

25 Misere, E (Asian), miser (churl), before (position), game (def)

Down

1 Tally-ho, ally (associate), in (insertion), mess (anagram of) hot, rest is def

2 Wiseacre, wire (rope), wrapping (container), broken (anagram of) case, smarty-pants (def)

3 Hereto, in part (hidden), to this writing (def), rest is fodder

4 Constant, good (def), con (study), st (street), ant (worker)

5 Addict, stoner (def), high (anagram of) DT (psychotic state) + acid

6 Skeeter, Skeet (shooting sport), ER (king), blood sucker (def)

8 Knockout whist, knockout (fox), eject (deletion of) Le (the French) from whistle, game (def)

14 Treasure, leading (first letters in) “the race easily Andy”, sure (can’t miss), prize (def)

15 Recourse, expedient (def), re (about), course (policy)

16 Arsenal, ground (anagram of) L (Luxembourg) + s (leading sports, i.e., 1^st letter in) + arena, dump (def)

17 Perturb, exercise (def), per (by), tub (banker), about (container), r (real numbers)

19 Drench, steep (def), d (deserted), trench (dike), without (deletion of), t (rail)

21 Enigma, scrambled (anagram of) image (picture), concealing (container), n (direction), puzzle (def)