Saturday Times 24030

[frameshift]

This must be the most obscure one for a while.

9 across Kings etc. secure following with frequencu (3) It looks like oft, but why?

23 across Staff restricts regiment, even if in battle (8) looks like Marathon, but why?

18 across Clear evidence of puffing that's heard at start of race (7,3) Blowing out, bu why?

6 down Evocative picture of bomb no Russian would pick up (8)?

It's a strange one.

[JMR27]

9a Kings, a book in the Old Testament, gives O.T. around f (following)
23a staff /employee = man around R.A. (Royal Artillery) + tho/though (even if)

[JMR27]

18a smoking gun

[JMR27]

6d vignette..V1 is a type of bomb but I'm having trouble explaining the rest!:o)

[dizzyduck]

6d - the last part sounds like 'niet' - Russian for no.

[JMR27]

of course! thank you dizzyduck

[ash24]

23A
Marathon was a battle in ancient Greek times. The marathon road race of modern times gets its name from here, when Pheidipedes ran from Marathon to Athens to announce the defeat of the army of Darius I who tried to expand the Persian Empire to contain Greece.
Herodotus by the way disputes that this run took place ...

[seasidesteve]

Marathon

(ma(ra)(tho)n)
staff - man
regiment - RA
even - tho'