Author name: crosswordanswers

1-across – Composer,CPE or JS? : BACH

3-across – Atmospheric gas : NITROGEN

9-across – Russian playwright : CHEKHOV

10-across – Defendable : VALID

11-across – Succumb to giddiness : SWOON

12-across – Rile : NETTLE

14-across – Wartime campaign slogan : DIGFORVICTORY

17-across – Butcher,at times : CARVER

19-across – Lot hammer? : GAVEL

22-across – Nonsense : DROSS

23-across – Pet : TANTRUM

24-across – Improve : AIRBRUSH

25-across – Twelve : NOON

1-down – Rear : BACKSIDE

2-down – Cored : CREDO

4-down – Alcohol will free the tongue : INVINOVERITAS

5-down – Spike : RIVET

6-down – Italian astronomer : GALILEO

7-down – Sans clothes : NUDE

8-down – ‘Way of the gods’ in Japan : SHINTO

13-down – Plant with backward-turned petals : CYCLAMEN

15-down – Allurement : GLAMOUR

16-down – Telling : COGENT

18-down – Screen : VISOR

20-down – Star sign : VIRGO

21-down – Design : IDEA

1-across – Drink after a meal : DIGESTIF

5-across – Large-bodied fish : CHUB

9-across – Plant whose berries are ground as a spice : SUMAC

10-across – Top : CEILING

11-across – One-armed bandit : FRUITMACHINE

13-across – Hard end on shoe : TOECAP

14-across – Clever risky action : GAMBIT

17-across – Brilliant kid : CHILDPRODIGY

20-across – Stand taken by preacher : LECTERN

21-across – Exhaust : USEUP

22-across – Atypical : RARE

23-across – Of an advanced qualification : POSTGRAD

1-down – Gloaming : DUSK

2-down – Eucalyptus : GUMTREE

3-down – Give it a go : SUCKITANDSEE

4-down – Pay : INCOME

6-down – Caribbean country : HAITI

7-down – Bread stick? : BAGUETTE

8-down – Simplified golf : PITCHANDPUTT

12-down – Pedant : STICKLER

15-down – Horror : BUGBEAR

16-down – Bucking steed? : BRONCO

18-down – Sustain : INCUR

19-down – Whizzed : SPED

1-across – Board game : BACKGAMMON

7-across – End a call : RINGOFF

8-across – Tight string noise : TWANG

10-across – Hoodoo : JINX

11-across – Good gracious – being in existence? : MANALIVE

13-across – Fight : COMBAT

15-across – Copied : CLONED

17-across – Conservative senior members : OLDGUARD

18-across – Spasm : PANG

21-across – Long : YEARN

22-across – Nose : BOUQUET

23-across – Cheeta,Tarzan’s sidekick? : CHIMPANZEE

1-down – West African country : BENIN

2-down – Air-fry,perhaps : COOK

3-down – Laugh : GUFFAW

4-down – For both parties,beneficially : MUTUALLY

5-down – Speech : ORATION

6-down – Path : TRAJECTORY

9-down – Guzzler of seconds – and maybe thirds? : GREEDYGUTS

12-down – Tree with pendulous yellow flowers : LABURNUM

14-down – Messy outdoor state : MUDBATH

16-down – Desert plateau in Asia : ARABIA

19-down – Very serious : ACUTE

20-down – Ask questions : QUIZ

1-across – Streaky confection : MARBLECAKE

7-across – Black coat on ocean : OILSLICK

8-across – On the edge of one’s seat : AGOG

9-across – Top businessperson : EXEC

10-across – Flier from remains of fire? : PHOENIX

12-across – Privy : WATERCLOSET

14-across – Thicket : COPPICE

16-across – Mog : PUSS

19-across – Noble gas : NEON

20-across – Nit-picking : NIGGLING

21-across – Shrove Tuesday topping? : MAPLESYRUP

1-down – Cereal grass : MAIZE

2-down – Regard – for Aretha Franklin? : RESPECT

3-down – Pork cut? : LOIN

4-down – Mouth : CAKEHOLE

5-down – Jack : KNAVE

6-down – Communist council : SOVIET

11-down – Brittle biscuit : CRACKNEL

12-down – Poor : WOODEN

13-down – Poor conditions : SQUALOR

15-down – Bamboo muncher : PANDA

17-down – Dawn : SUNUP

18-down – Clutch? : EGGS

1-across – Bog : MIRE

3-across – Rugby position : STANDOFF

8-across – I’ve made a little mistake! : OOPS

9-across – Spittoon – so rid cup : CUSPIDOR

11-across – Selfless spelling? : WHITEMAGIC

14-across – Gorgeous : LOVELY

15-across – Remorseless : BRUTAL

17-across – Temperature measurer? : FAHRENHEIT

20-across – Euphoria : RHAPSODY

21-across – Gumbo : OKRA

22-across – Composer’s eerier choice? : MINORKEY

23-across – Long walk : TREK

1-down – Lunar steps – dance move : MOONWALK

2-down – Punishment postponement : REPRIEVE

4-down – Colourful tropical bird : TOUCAN

5-down – Serviette holder : NAPKINRING

6-down – Chance : ODDS

7-down – Castle : FORT

10-down – Rowdy type : HELLRAISER

12-down – Naked show-off! : STREAKER

13-down – Arriving unbuilt : FLATPACK

16-down – Toiler : DRUDGE

18-down – College dance : PROM

19-down – Outbuilding : BARN