Author name: crosswordanswers

1-across – One who’s duped into doing something risky : CATSPAW

8-across – A heap of insects? : ANTHILL

9-across – What early 2025 will be : NEWYEAR

10-across – Code or deal? : BREAKER

11-across – Hold contents : CARGO

13-across – Protected from the weather : SHELTERED

15-across – Spicy salami : PEPPERONI

18-across – One runs errands : GOFER

21-across – Way of thinking : MINDSET

22-across – Church service : LITURGY

23-across – Core part : ESSENCE

24-across – Commotion : TURMOIL

1-down – One thinks the worst of everyone : CYNIC

2-down – Trump or Blackpool? : TOWER

3-down – Attractive : PREPOSSESSING

4-down – Sing like a bird : WARBLE

5-down – Aggressive sort – get free t-shirt : STREETFIGHTER

6-down – Make minor adjustments : TINKER

7-down – Red in the face : FLORID

12-down – Height : ACME

14-down – : ELSE

15-down – Spoil : PAMPER

16-down – Penalise : PUNISH

17-down – Shop – opening : OUTLET

19-down – Do without : FORGO

20-down – Navy – blue : ROYAL

1-across – Bend in the middle : JACKKNIFE

8-across – Turkish starter : MEZE

9-across – One tells tales : RACONTEUR

10-across – German brew : BIER

13-across – Fake – bank : BLUFF

15-across – Let’s hear more! : ENCORE

16-across – Bee, machine or pattern : SEWING

17-across – Grouse or beef? : WHINGE

19-across – Not damaged : UNHURT

20-across – 1956 film starring James Dean and Rock Hudson : GIANT

21-across – Ceremonial act : RITE

24-across – Most dilapidated : SHABBIEST

25-across – Charter : HIRE

26-across – Manolo Blahnik, for instance : SHOEMAKER

2-down – Not home : AWAY

3-down – Ball – control : KNOB

4-down – Grasp it to confront a problem : NETTLE

5-down – Bungles : FLUFFS

6-down – Appetising : DELICIOUS

7-down – Divide – Easter egg : SEGREGATE

11-down – Ready to sail : SEAWORTHY

12-down – Sacred text : SCRIPTURE

13-down – Billy or Melvyn? : BRAGG

14-down – Deceptive manoeuvre : FEINT

18-down – 12.5 percent : EIGHTH

19-down – Powerless : UNABLE

22-down – Deer native to East Asia : SIKA

23-down – Fair or Belle? : ISLE

1-across – Instances of bad behaviour : MISDEMEANOURS

8-across – Heave : LUG

9-across – Ralph, Enid : PHILANDER

10-across – One’s passed on : HEIRLOOM

11-across – Let go of : DROP

13-across – Left : EXITED

14-across – Having levels : TIERED

16-across – A quantity of paper : REAM

17-across – Assess : PREJUDGE

20-across – Maximum : UTTERMOST

21-across – Smoking remains? : ASH

22-across – Spaceships? US clergy is fan : FLYINGSAUCERS

1-down – Gardener’s ground cover : MULCH

2-down – In a meaningful way : SIGNIFICANTLY

3-down – Trained fruit tree – pearlies : ESPALIER

4-down – Newspaper boss : EDITOR

5-down – Orderly : NEAT

6-down – University student : UNDERGRADUATE

7-down – Like a humbug? : STRIPED

12-down – Japanese martial art : JIUJITSU

13-down – Hearing protector : EARMUFF

15-down – Armed forces : TROOPS

18-down – Attitudes and ideas associated with a people or organisation : ETHOS

19-down – Cheshire Cat’s abiding characteristic : GRIN

1-across – Desperate Dan or Mickey Mouse, say : ALLITERATION

9-across – Drawing one gets you nowhere : BLANK

10-across – Large sailing ship used for trade and warfare : GALLEON

11-across – Surge : RUSH

12-across – Lou or Elvis? : COSTELLO

14-across – Salesperson : VENDOR

15-across – This will make the balloon go up : HELIUM

18-across – Resident of Tirana or Berat : ALBANIAN

20-across – Close together : SHUT

22-across – Whip, camera or coffee : INSTANT

23-across – Middle Eastern sweet made with ground sesame seeds : HALVA

24-across – System for naming things – no numeral etc : NOMENCLATURE

2-down – Go-between : LIAISON

3-down – Signs : INKS

4-down – Drink at Christmas : EGGNOG

5-down – Agitated : AFLUTTER

6-down – Perfect : IDEAL

7-down – Vague : NONCOMMITTAL

8-down – eg, eg : ABBREVIATION

13-down – High spot? : MOUNTAIN

16-down – Breathing aid : INHALER

17-down – Shelf over a fireplace : MANTEL

19-down – Old-fashioned sweeper : BESOM

21-down – Informal discussion : CHAT

1-across – Cake decoration : PIPING

4-across – Hotchpotch : RAGBAG

9-across – Use it to clear 1? : PLUNGER

10-across – Slowly-delivered speech : DRAWL

11-across – Hurrah! : YAHOO

12-across – Poky room : SHOEBOX

13-across – Demonstrating inadequate awareness of the facts : ILLINFORMED

18-across – Coastal defence : SEAWALL

20-across – Repeated process : CYCLE

22-across – Reserve seats? : BENCH

23-across – Distinguished : EMINENT

24-across – Equestrian activity : RIDING

25-across – Lacking a purpose : OTIOSE

1-down – Orange-fleshed tropical fruit : PAPAYA

2-down – Characteristic of a koala or pelican : POUCH

3-down – Gin, vermouth and Campari : NEGRONI

5-down – Sound recording : AUDIO

6-down – Prickly plant : BRAMBLE

7-down – Star system : GALAXY

8-down – Lancers left : CRESTFALLEN

14-down – Opposite of 13 : LEARNED

15-down – Proof of purchase : RECEIPT

16-down – Line on a weather map : ISOBAR

17-down – Light : GENTLE

19-down – Drained of colour : ASHEN

21-down – Articles of faith : CREDO