Thanks Mara for what should have been an easy puzzle.
Across
1 Barrier and enclosure wet (6)
DAMPEN – DAM (barrier) and PEN (enclosure).
5 Container of wine a waiter finally found in small restaurant (6)
CARAFE – A (a) and R ({waite}R finally) found inside CAFÉ (small restaurant). It was probably too many of these (carafes of wine) at my weekend reunion that are to blame for my slower than usual QC solves this week!
8 Flyer, puffed up thing full of boastful talk? (3-3,7)
HOT-AIR BALLOON – A cryptic clue for the flying vehicle, the BALLOON being a puffed up thing, and HOT-AIR being boastful talk.
9 Old bovine knocked over, end of contest (4)
KAYO – My last one in – O{ld} and YAK (a bovine animal) all reversed (knocked over). Kayo or KO is defined in my Chambers as a ‘knock-out’, which would certainly end a boxing contest!
10 Sender of goods abroad, old beer (8)
EXPORTER – EX (old) and PORTER (a type of beer).
11 Queen carried by wings of great bird (6)
GANNET – The Queen refers to ANNE, who is carried (contained in) G{rea}T (wings of, meaning outside letters).
13 Slippery stuff country reported? (6)
GREASE – Sounds like (reported) Greece – the country.
15 Fellow player met me at a gathering (4-4)
TEAM-MATE – Anagram (gathering) of [MET ME AT A].
17 Smack friends the wrong way (4)
SLAP – PALS (friends) reversed (the wrong way).
19 Daft timing, she cooked a very late meal (8,5)
MIDNIGHT FEAST – An anagram (cooked) of [DAFT TIMING, SHE].
21 Ruined, that girl taken in by father (6)
DASHED – SHE (that girl) inside (taken in by) DAD (father).
22 Boat loaded with most of new basket (6)
PUNNET – PUNT is the boat, inside which is inserted (loaded) NE{w} (most of new). A PUNNET is a small shallow basket for fruit such as strawberries.
Down
2 Fragrance in a capital city for Italians (5)
AROMA – A (a) and ROMA (what the Italians call what we call Rome).
3 Military unit also into strategy (7)
PLATOON – TOO (also) into / inside PLAN (strategy). PLATOON originates from the French Peloton (ball or knot of men) which is most often heard these days when referring to the chasing pack of riders trying to catch the breakaway leaders in the Tour de France.
4 Negative word embraced by politician, ordinarily (3)
NOR – Hidden word in {politician}N, OR{dinarily}.
5 Bubbly hypochondriac’s audible complaint? (9)
CHAMPAGNE – sounds like (audible) sham pain, which may be just what a hypochondriac complains about
6 Person reigning over you all, the leader by all conclusions (5)
RULER – Final letters (by all conclusions) of {ove}R {yo}U {al}L, {th}E {leade}R.
7 Fine drops – spray has those (7)
FLOWERS – F{ine} and LOWERS (drops). The definition refers to a spray of flowers.
10 Separated garden set to be redeveloped (9)
ESTRANGED – Anagram (to be redeveloped) of [GARDEN SET].
12 Country girl seen after mother gets up (7)
AMERICA – MA (mother) reversed (gets up) and ERICA (girl).
14 Nearest winds coming from one direction (7)
EASTERN – Anagram (winds) of [NEAREST].
16 Day: the short period of time (5)
MONTH – MON{day} and TH{e} (short).
18 Channel in Australia is legendary (5)
AISLE – Hidden answer in {australi}A IS LE{gendary}. I’m trying to resist a comment about the fifth test here!
20 Best garment (3)
TOP – Double definition.
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