No 2778, Sunday 16 Feb 2014

Plenty of Christmas indicators as this appeared originally on 22 Dec.

ACROSS
1   One excluded old theologian connected with a Mount, oddly (3,3,3) ODD MAN OUT {O}{DD} {MAN OUT}*
8   One held captive round Mount after end of speech (7) HOSTAGE {.....H}{O}{STAGE}
10 Personal assistant's to take home one Christmas cake (9) PANETTONE {PA}{NETT}{ONE}

11 Rushes jobs (7) CAREERS [DD]
12 High, the Parisian church tower with spire (7) STEEPLE {STEEP}{LE}
13 Saw ghost floating across rear of theatre in pantomime? (5,4) STAGE SHOW {STAG{.....E} SHOW*}
15 One involved in pantomime turn again? (4,11) DICK WHITTINGTON [CD]
17 Checks in chess? Aunt confused (9) STAUNCHES*
20 Hypocrisy at a choral work (7) CANTATA {CANT}{AT}{A}
22 A soldier shown round small house of a native American (7) ARAPAHO {ARAP}{A}<={HO}
23 Instrument, unusual in one regard (4,5) REED ORGAN*
24 University stopping dissertations in ancient Greek (7) THESEUS {THESE{U}S}
25 Previously ending in Alsace, then Lorraine, strangely (7,2) EARLIER ON {.....E}{ARLIER ON}*

DOWN
1   Short operation on model's face (6) OPPOSE {OP}{POSE}
2   Fellow on essential Nativity play animal? (6) DONKEY {DON}{KEY}
3   Behave in a troublesome way at college after play (3,2) ACT UP {ACT} {UP}
4   Shoehorning hose away in an attitude of smug superiority (2,4,4,5) ON ONES HIGH HORSE*
5   No one's about to chastise unstable Catholic king in play (3,5,2,5) THE COAST IS CLEAR {THE COAST IS}* {C}{LEAR}
6   Object from cracker daily found on hearth, oddly (5,3) PAPER HAT {PAPER} {HeArTh}
7   Swing he composed, with bit of ragtime thrown in? (8) GERSHWIN {GE{R......}SHWIN*} Semi&lit
9   Social worker after cloth, one with stripes (8) SERGEANT {SERGE}{ANT}
14 Ballet in middle of Christmas week, an excess (4,4) SWAN LAKE {....S....}{W}{AN} {LAKE}
15 Revulsion shown by DI, say, about latest of assaults (8) DISTASTE {DI}{STA{.......S}TE}
16 Hears a CD prepared for Christmas party game? (8) CHARADES*
18 Fixture in stable causing male irritation (6) MANGER {M}{ANGER}
19 Priest reportedly shot playing billiards (6) CANNON(~canon)
21 Girl I lament over (5) NAOMI {NAOM}{I}<=